Watch Lionel Messi's strong start to 2017 continue with sublime free-kick goal
Lionel Messi's 2016 didn't shape up so well (by his standards), but 2017 is going quite well on an individual level. The Argentine returned to Barcelona training with a double-nutmeg goal that went viral. In his first taste of actual competition, he put on another clinic.
Athletic Bilbao found themselves the victims on Thursday. In the midst of a wild match that saw a number of dubious refereeing decisions, Messi lined up to take a free kick from well outside the Bilbao box. He then did Messi things.
https://twitter.com/beINSPORTSUSA/status/817123097740394496
Gorka Iraizoz got a hand to the ball and nearly kept it out, but that ball looks to have crept just past the line. Given the angle of the free kick and the fact that Messi is left footed, one would think the Argentina would put the ball into the box for his teammates to attack.
Instead, Messi just went ahead and did the heavy lifting himself. The goal cut Barcelona's deficit in half, but the Blaugranas couldn't find their way through in the Copa del Rey tie. It did give the visitors a valuable away goal, though, with the final leg of the round of 16 tie to be played at Camp Nou on Jan. 11. Messi and Barcelona might not have had the best overall game of their lives in the 2-1 loss, but they can at least hang their hats on this bit of Messi magic.
