Barcelona player ratings v Getafe: Lionel Messi is brilliant once again

Argentine great completes 25 La Liga goals for 12th season in a row

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  BARCELONA RATINGS: Marc-Andre Ter Stegen 6 - Not much to do other than pick a deflected goal and penalty out of the back of the net. getty

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  Oscar Mingueza 6 - Dealt well with Getafe’s best threat in Kubo down the left-hand side. A heavy challenge in the first half saw the defender eventually withdrawn for Umtiti after carrying a knock into the second half. Getty

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  Gerard Pique 6 - The veteran defender dealt with everything that came his way when called upon. Withdrawn at half-time as Koeman changed the system. Barcelona missed Pique’s leadership in the second half. Getty

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  Clement Lenglet 6 - It could only get better for Lenglet after beginning the game with a yellow card and own goal that the French defender couldn’t do anything about. Unlucky not to get an assist after playing in Frenkie De Jong. Reuters

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  Jordi Alba 6 - Good runs up the flank linked a number of dangerous attacks but Messi couldn’t convert when Alba cut the ball back. Getafe rarely ventured down the Spain international’s side which meant there wasn’t much defensive work to do for Alba on the night. AP

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  Sergi Roberto 7 - Kept things ticking as Barcelona transitioned the ball forward and helped out the defence when required. Solid. AP

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  Sergio Busquets 8 - The experienced midfielder’s passing was on point after a precise ball picked out Messi perfectly to run through on goal and finish. Busquets didn’t put a foot wrong on the night, consistently finding small gaps in the Getafe midfield. Reuters

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  Frenkie De Jong 6 - The Dutchman made good forward runs but should have gone for goal when on the end of a Lenglet ball over the top. Moved to centre-back in the second half and didn’t look out of place. Getty

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  Pedri 6 - Failed to make an impact on the game but didn’t make any glaring mistakes either. Reuters

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  Antoine Griezmann 6 - A quiet game for the French forward who couldn’t influence the game before converting a penalty in the final minute. EPA

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  Lionel Messi 9 - A clinical performance from the Argentine. Getafe were warned early on after Messi hit the bar from outside the box and the Barcelona star man made no mistakes as he converted his next two chances. The starman was at the heart of all of Barca’s meaningful attacks on Thursday night. AP

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  SUBSTITUTES: Ilaix Moriba (Lenglet, 45) 6 - Comfortable on the ball. Ilaix looked to be through after Messi played the 18-year-old in towards goal and the midfielder should have been more selfish. Trincao (Sergi Roberto, 64) 6 - Involved immediately with a couple of Barca attacks but lacked the cutting edge required to convert. EPA

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  Ronald Araujo (Pique, 45) 6 - Araujo has to be more careful after standing on a Getafe attackers foot to concede a penalty in the 68th minute. The defender soon made amends after heading home from a Messi corner. Samuel Umtiti (Mingueza, 74) N/A - On after Mingueza looked to be struggling with a knock but didn’t have much to deal with. EPA

Lionel Messi scored twice as Barcelona defeated Getafe 5-2 on Thursday to stay in the hunt for the La Liga title.

Messi gave Barca an early lead but Getafe pulled level with an own goal by Clement Lenglet.

The visitors then conceded a calamitous own goal when Sofian Chakla's backpass deceived keeper David Soria.

Messi extended Barca's lead before halftime to move on to 25 La Liga goals for the 12th season in a row.

But the Catalans slowed down in the second half as Enes Unal converted a penalty in the 69th minute following a VAR review for a foul by Ronald Araujo.

Getafe had a couple of half-chances to level but Uruguayan defender Araujo made amends for his foul on Unal by heading in Messi's corner in the 87th minute to effectively kill the game.

Barca earned a penalty in added time but Messi surrendered the chance to score a hat-trick and handed the ball to Antoine Griezmann who slammed in the spot-kick.

The win took Barca back up to third place on 68 points, five behind leaders Atletico Madrid but with a game in hand.

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