Those who watched Barcelona's game against Getafe most probably will have noticed two lessons being taught to the whole world about skill and team work. A team that spent most of the game playing with 10 players, after Pique walked off the pitch red carded, managed to stay in control of a match against a highly organized and aggressive team like Getafe. 2-1 was the final result and this is a lesson Barcelona taught to the whole footballing world. 


On a more personal level, Lionel Messi have once more proved to the entire world that he is a genius and a star still rising at the age of 22. The first goal for Barcelona, which Messi scored, was a screamer! Not in the sense that it was a powerful shot, but simply because it was sublime. Perfectly executed, and almost impossible to imagine. Roberto Carlos goal in a friendly against France back in 1997 was hailed as one of the most beautifully taken free kicks! Well, in my opinion this goal is even better. Carlos scored his goal from a dead ball against a static wall using shear power to force the ball into that glorious curve. Everybody who was looking from Roberto's back thought that the ball was heading to the billboards behind the goal. Instead, the ball changed course in the air, struck the post and smashed right into the net. Messi's goal however, was scored in a less ideal circumstance. The ball was on the move, coming back from Toure. The forest of legs and bodies in front of him were swarming and heading towards him to try and close him down. Not to mention his own team mates who were still trying to recover from their positioning after the corner kick. 


A Work of Art


Just as Messi noticed that Toure managed to get his foot on the ball, he moved in to position himself well for a pass, and as the ball arrives he gloriously and without pausing unleashes, beautiful not powerful shot, almost with his heel that takes a perfect sidewise curve and evades every single player. There were 7 of them, then beats the keeper and settles in the back of the net. This is pure magic! Six minutes into the game and Barca were one up.





Roberto Carlos Goal against France in 1997





Messi's Goal against Getafe in 2010




Then, as the game ticks on, Messi receives a ball exactly at the halfway line from Xavi, faced by two players and a third trailing back to cover up, he does what he does best. He takes on them and shears the whole defence off their positioning dragging three defenders to his side leaving Xavi completely unmakred. You see, the fact of the matter is that when you defend against Messi you need to double up. No question about it. If you face him one on one, he will in 99% of the time brush you aside and go on with his life with not as much as a flinch! And so Getafe defenders, with the state of panic associated with Messi's presence on the ball,  had no other choice but to keep their radars locked on the marauding punisher, leaving Xavi with no coverage whatsoever. Messi, known for being totally unpredictable, slides the ball to Xavi who completes the move he started and buries the ball in the back of the net! 2-0. To their credit, Getafe never gave up and indeed managed to grab one back right at the death.





Xavi's Goals against Getafe,  assisted by Messi.


Jose Mourinho is well known for being one of the best managers in the world. He is also well known for his stinginess when it comes to praise, especially for those not on his team sheet. In messi's case in particular, Mourinho was tormented by him as a teenager during Chelsea's Champions league encounter, and " The Special One " had no other choice but to label Messi an actor. Still, as snobbish and self-centered as he is, Mourinho simply couldn't ignore Messi's talent. This is what he had to say about the Argentine genius: 


" The best way to stop Messi is when you play with 11 men and then you can double mark him, one player to stay on Messi and the other to help out. If it is 11 against 10 then you have almost no chance of stopping him "


In 2010, Messi already has 16 Goals and 8 assists in the Spanish Lega, topping both charts. The curve is still rising, and it's terrifying to think what he will do when he is 26 and having his best years. Messi is still growing as a goalscorer and a playmaker, and just a brief look at the table below, shows how magnificent his performance is for Barcelona.