FC Barcelona is calling it the goal of the season. Deadspin called it “the platonic ideal of a Barcelona goal.” Ray Hudson said it was “kaleidoscopic football of the highest order." It was the crowning achievement of the club’s remarkable turnaround against Sevilla in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals — shifting a 0-2 first leg deficit into a 6-3 aggregate victory.
In the process, it also outlined just how difficult it's going to be to defeat Barcelona over two legs in the Champions League. The team has had a couple stuttering moments of mortality, but an eight-game winning streak in LaLiga paints an accurate picture of the side that has to be the current favorite come June 1 at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Mainly because they have Lionel Messi, and Messi played a large role in creating and finishing Barca’s celebrated sixth goal. And also because they have Luis Suarez, who plays a beautiful role in the goal and who also scored his 16th of the season yesterday.
But this is Barcelona really feeling itself — Messi’s raking passes, Suarez is playing velvety one-twos, Gerard Pique is pulling impish flicks and obviously Jordi Alba is assisting Messi. That never changes.
Goal.For the #BarcaSeville pic.twitter.com/ZcJbfdeQSv
— My Leo Messi (@sofya_Leo) January 30, 2019
Goal of the season for me. Counter attacking football integrated with Tiki Taka. #Messi #Barcelona pic.twitter.com/ama6A6Dr0e
— Maestro Messi (@Messischip) January 30, 2019
Messi has 27 goals in 25 games this season. It’s said a lot, but he’s obviously playing an entirely different game out there.