Messi back to his best in Barca win over Bilbao

Lionel Messi was back to his scintillating best on Wednesday as he scored twice in a 3-2 win for Barcelona over Athletic Bilbao in La Liga.

Barca trailed to an early Inaki Williams strike at San Mames but responded with a slick attacking performance that had Messi at the heart of it.

It was Messi’s cross that led to Pedri’s equaliser and then the Argentinian could have had a hat-trick, only for VAR and the woodwork to intervene.

But this was a vintage display from the 33-year-old, whose double helped Barcelona reduce the gap behind La Liga’s leaders Atletico Madrid to seven points.

Atletico will be hard to catch, given they also have two games in hand.