‘Starting like this is an enormous boost’
La Liga is back after a three-month coronavirus shutdown with games behind closed doors, and with Lionel Messi looking different but playing like he always does.
More than three months had passed since Messi last stepped onto the pitch. The six-time Ballon d'Or winner will be 33 in little over a week, but his post-lockdown look was more of a reminder of young Messi.
The hair is longer and swept over to one side. Most strikingly, clean shaven and without any sign of the thigh problem that prevented him from training earlier this month, Messi played 90 minutes and looked like he had never been away.
La Liga's leading scorer looked sharp with the ball at his feet too, and scored the final goal of a 4-0 win away in Mallorca -- after earlier strikes by Arturo Vidal, Martin Braithwaite and Jordi Alba -- as Barca moved provisionally five clear of Real Madrid.
Barcelona coach Quique Setien said his side's win after the hiatus was an ideal launchpad for their title bid.
The champions got off to a perfect start as Arturo Vidal headed them in front after 65 seconds and Martin Braithwaite scored his first goal for the club. Luis Suarez looked lively on his return after six months out with a knee injury and 21-year-old central defender Ronald Araujo made an encouraging full debut.
"The sensations are very positive considering we had spent so long without playing. Starting like this is an enormous boost for the future," Setien told a virtual news conference. "Braithwaite was excellent, he has adapted very well to our play out on the left wing and was always doing the right thing. He scored and worked very hard and you have to congratulate him because it's not easy to arrive in a team like this and play so well."
On Suarez, the coach added: "It was an extraordinary return, all his interventions were of the highest level and it's the Luis we all want to see, he'll get even sharper and is going to be crucial for us."
There was also a strong display in defence from Uruguayan Araujo, who made his second appearance and first start since being promoted from the B team.
"He was playing in a different role to what he does for the B team but he was solid in every aspect," Setien said.
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