Watch: Messi scores vs. Sporting Gijon with early nonchalant header
It didn't take Lionel Messi long to add to his career burns of Sporting Gijon while playing for Barcelona.
Messi, whose late heroics brought Barcelona a key 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid over the weekend, turned in a nonchalant header over an onrushing goalkeeper to open the scoring early in their La Liga midweek clash.
It was a full Argentine combination, with Javier Mascherano serving a ball forward for Messi, who elected to nod the ball over Pichu Cuellar in the ninth minute at Camp Nou.
Messi's goal was followed shortly after by an own goal on Juan Rodriguez caused by Luis Suarez, who got in behind Gijon's defense and hit his chance from a left-sided angle across the goal mouth, where it was turned in by Rodriguez.
Depending on what happens in Real Madrid's match later Wednesday against Las Palmas, Barcelona could end the day atop La Liga's table.
