After watching Barcelona’s La Liga clash against Athletic Bilbao, many fans were left wondering: just how many secret weapons does Lionel Messi still have up his sleeve? Since the New Year, Messi had played every single minute for Barça—until this match. In the 63rd minute, manager Luis Enrique finally gave him a breather, substituting him for Sergi Roberto.
It’s worth noting that the last time Messi was subbed off in a La Liga match without being injured was over three years ago—on February 15, 2014, against Rayo Vallecano. This time, as he walked off, Messi appeared all smiles. After Aleix Vidal scored, Messi laughed heartily and kept chatting comfortably with Luis Suárez on the bench, both looking completely at ease. Given his stellar record in recent seasons, Messi has cemented his status as one of the finest free-kick specialists in modern football.
But as always, Messi wasn’t done dazzling. In this game, he stunned fans again with a jaw-dropping goal from an almost impossible angle. In the 39th minute, Barça won a free kick near the end line on the right flank. Most expected Messi or Neymar to cross the ball into the box, but instead, Messi opted for the unthinkable—he went for goal directly. With his teammates partially obstructing the view, Bilbao’s veteran goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz could do nothing but watch the ball sail into the net.
Remarkably, this wasn’t the first time Messi had done this to Iraizoz. In the previous Copa del Rey tie against Bilbao, Messi scored clutch free-kicks in both legs. This latest strike marked the third time in a row he had beaten the same keeper with a direct free-kick. Since the start of 2017, Messi has netted eight goals—four of them from direct free-kicks. His latest beauty took his career tally of direct free-kick goals for Barça to 27, surpassing club legend Ronald Koeman, who scored 26.
Currently, Messi leads the Champions League scoring chart and is also Europe’s top scorer across all competitions. From weaving through entire defenses, to thunderous long-range rockets, to pinpoint free-kicks from impossible angles—his skill set continues to evolve. And now, with this latest Crickex Login stunner from a tight spot, the question grows louder: what other hidden gems does Messi still have in store?
When it comes to Messi, it seems the magic never runs dry.