Barcelona 1 Atletico 0: Messi's 600th goal sends Barca 8 points clear in La Liga

Barcelona, March 4: A first-half free-kick goal by Lionel Messi helped FC Barcelona to a 1-0 win over fellow title contenders Atletico Madrid at the Camp Nou in the La Liga on Sunday.

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The 26th minute strike was Messi's 600th goal for club and country and sent Barcelona eight points clear of Atletico, virtually making the Catalans the favourites to grab the title this season. Third-placed Real Madrid are on 54 points, 15 behind Barcelona, courtesy their 3-1 win over Getafe on Saturday.

😎
🔝 @LaLiga
🔵🔴 Força Barça pic.twitter.com/riabW56GFS

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 4, 2018

Match stats

Argentine Messi curled his left-footed take into the top-right corner, past a diving Jan Oblak to score his 33rd goal for Barcelona this season.

Atletico had four forwards in the last 30 minutes but could not find the equaliser. Atletico had only one goal on target on an evening where both sides were denied goals for offside. Luis Suarez was the guilty party in the 76th minute, while 10 minutes later, Diego Costa's left foot denied Atletico a deserving equaliser, converted by Kevin Gameiro.

Costa himself accounted for four of Atletico's six offsides. Antoine Griezmann, reportedly chased by Barcelona, had a disappointing evening. His left-footed volley in the second half went way over the bar as he ran out of steam against the Catalans.

Vital win 💪 pic.twitter.com/niHSuzyN5m

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 4, 2018

Oblak blocked Sergio Busquets' volley from rolling into the net in the second half. Even though Atletico threatened and dominated possession after the break, their finishing let them down.

Andres Iniesta had to be taken off in the first half by Barcelona after he suffered an injury in a collision with Atletico's Saul Niguez.

🔊 Sergio Busquets: "Happy for the effort by the team, it's a vital win. We will try to maintain the advantage that we have" #ForçaBarça pic.twitter.com/KsvhnwAqNu

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 4, 2018

Barcelona next prepare for a testing Champions League Round of 16 second leg fixture against Chelsea on Wednesday. Atletico host Lokomotiv Moscow in the Europa League on Thursday.

RESULT

Barcelona 1 (Lionel Messi 26) bt Atletico Madrid 0

🤝 @3gerardpique & @AntoGriezmann
🤝 @LuisSuarez9 & @diegogodin
🤝 @filipeluis & @paulinhop8

Maximum respect in the tunnel! #FairPlay #BarçaAtleti pic.twitter.com/C3Z6AXsm0n

— LaLiga (@LaLigaEN) March 4, 2018