Lionel Messi

Barcelona stayed atop the LaLiga table following a 1-1 draw with Atlético Madrid yesterday, but the Blaugrana stars were less than enthused by the approach of Diego Simeone’s men at the Wanda. 

Atlético scored with its only shot on target (a Diego Costa header off a Antoine Griezmann corner), but the home side limited Barcelona to just two shots on frame themselves (a Lionel Messi free kick straight at Jan Oblak and Ousmane Dembélé’s late equalizer). 

Real Betis became the first side to score four at the Camp Nou in league play since 2003, and the Seville-based club registered its first victory at the legendary stadium in two decades during Sunday’s rip-roaring 4-3 encounter in Catalonia. 

Betis raced to a 2-0 first half lead, and every time Barcelona managed to pull a goal back in the second half, the Béticos found a response.  

When Lionel Messi broke his arm against Sevilla back on Oct. 20, the prognosis was that he’d need three weeks to recover. By the time Barcelona hosts Real Betis on Sunday, that timeframe will’ve been achieved. But will Messi actually suit up for the Blaugrana with the assurance of November’s international break directly following the game, giving Messi an extra two weeks of rehabilitation before the titanic clash with Atlético Madrid at the Wanda on Nov. 24?