Lionel Messi Puts On Sensational Camp Nou Show: What We Learned From FC Barcelona's La Liga Clash With Valladolid

With Lionel Messi at his sensational best, Barcelona beat Valladolid by five goals to one at the Camp Nou on Tuesday to retake the lead at the top of La Liga. Here's what we learned from the clash.

Not featuring in Blaugrana colours for over a month, the teenager was expected to earn some minutes this evening but not start ahead of Antoine Griezmann on the left side of attack.

Assisting compatriot Griezmann at Eibar 10 days ago, Lenglet fully deserved his deflected half volley in the opening couple of minutes as one of Barcelona's best, most dedicated performers in 2019/2020. Even though El Clasico was postponed, he still turned up to train at the Camp Nou at the weekend.

Valladolid's equaliser was soft, and with it the German did not equal his record of four consecutive clean sheets in La Liga.

Banners demanding freedom and independence held aloft elsewhere in the ground before kick-off, the ultras behind the net began booming out separatist chants around a quarter of an hour in and at intermittent spells throughout the match which got the whole stadium going.

He wishes he was a baller. Perhaps not, as that he is, but had he a few extra inches in height, the Chilean would have met Frenkie de Jong's cross to make it 2-1 from close range in the 25th minute.

Three minutes later, he started the move for his goal by laying it off to Lionel Messi and storming into the box to volley home his second in two starts at the Camp Nou either side of the international break.

His was a delightful free kick into the top mid-left corner. Masip had no chance, nor do many 'keepers when the five-time Ballon d'Or winner is allowed to strike a deadball from that range. Shortly after, he threw a stunning nutmeg in for good measure and then almost scored an identical goal on the stroke of half time.

With Rakitic's help in the second half, he bagged his brace late on and also finished with a pair of assists. Missing a considerable chunk of this season's opening 10 games, the Argentine put on a show and is back to his brilliant best.

And learn he shall, but often the soon-to-turn 17-year-old gave the ball away or kept on to it for too long on many a Barça attack. In the 53rd minute, he could have scored when Messi played him in at close range and was replaced by Griezmann in the 63rd.

Intercepting balls, or leaving them at the right time to free De Jong and Fati on the left wing when he wasn't releasing them himself, the Spain left-back looks refreshed and switched on following his recent return from injury.

The two are sublime together, but the Dutchman was still pretty comfortable dictating play and spreading the ball around without his absent Brazilian partner in crime.

Almost pulling up with what seemed to be a hamstring knock in the first half, he was brought off after an hour's play most probably as a precaution with a packed schedule of three games in a week in mind.

The applause was thunderous when the Croatian replaced the young teammate that has dislodged him from the first XI. Pushing for a fourth, his quick knock into the box allowed Messi to complete a brace.

Not for the want of trying, Valladolid almost remained the only of 27 Liga sides the Uruguayan hasn't netted against. The man who wasn't there until the 70th minute, his six-yard box tap in was ruled offside but characterstic perserverance meant it finally came when Messi rolled it into his path to convert seven minutes later.

Granada's is a great story, but FCB are now top again by two points with a game in hand.