Lionel Messi leads another easy Barcelona bash: ‘We are talking about a unique, special player’

'I love that the players find these conditions ... and take advantage of Leo's quality' said Luis Enrique after Barcelona blitzed Levante 5-0 on Sunday to make it four wins from four La Liga matches.

Barcelona's Lionel Messi, centre, celebrates after scoring Barca's fifth goal in their win over Levante on Sunday in La Liga. Juan Carlos Cardenas / EPA / September 21, 2014

Barcelona manager Luis Enrique lauded the quality of strike duo Lionel Messi and Neymar after both were on target as the Catalans maintained their 100 per cent start to the La Liga season with a 5-0 win at Levante.

Messi fired a first-half penalty off target, but teed up Neymar and Sandro Ramirez to take his tally of assists to six in just five games this season and finally got his goal as he rounded off the scoring 18 minutes from time.

“With Leo Messi we are talking about a unique, special player. His teammates know well that when he has the ball, he can not only beat players but assist them magnificently,” said Enrique.

“I love that the players find these conditions amongst themselves and take advantage of Leo’s quality in this case.

“Today he assisted in a number of goals in a spectacular way and also scored. I think it was a complete game from everyone.”

Neymar’s opener was reminiscent of his first goal in the 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao last weekend as his pace was too much for the Levante defence and the Brazilian’s run was expertly picked out by Messi’s ball over the top.

“He has the quality to receive the ball to feet and he has the quality to attack spaces,” added Enrique.

“Every striker has to look for that variety and I am not just speaking about Neymar, but I thought the movement of Sandro, Pedro (Rodriguez) and Leo was good. I could speak about the whole team and the offensive and defensive work they did.”

The only negative point of the evening for Barca came early in the second-half as Neymar suffered an ankle injury and was replaced by Sandro despite appearing to want to continue.

Enrique insisted he had been extra cautious as the 22-year-old has suffered a series of ankle problems in his time at Barca, including a sprain in his left ankle which ruled him out of the season opener against Elche last month.

And he is hopeful Neymar will be available for their midweek trip to Malaga on Wednesday.

“He suffered a sprained ankle recently and therefore we decided to take him off.

“The doctors will analyse it. It is normal when the player sprains his ankle he gets a fright and asks for the change.

“We hope it won’t be anything important but there was nothing strange in the substitution.”

Earlier, Sevilla continued their fine start to the La Liga season to go top of the table, for at least a couple of hours until Barca’s victory, with a 3-1 win at Cordoba.

Unai Emery’s men have taken 10 points from their opening four games.

Colombian international Carlos Bacca got Sevilla off to the perfect start as he opened the scoring with a simple finish from Aleix Vidal’s pass after just eight minutes.

Former Queens Park Rangers midfielder Stephane Mbia then doubled the visitors’ advantage with a bullet header 17 minutes from time, but Borja Garcia gave Cordoba hope 11 minutes later.

However, Bacca secured the three points with his fourth goal of the season from the penalty spot after Aleksandar Pantic had felled Vitolo inside the area.

Villarreal also moved into the top six as they came from 2-0 down to beat Rayo Vallecano 4-2 at home.

On-loan Chelsea midfielder Gael Kakuta and Alberto Bueno had given the visitors a perfect start, but goals from Javier Espinosa, Mateo Musacchio and two from substitute Luciano Vietto handed Villarreal victory.

Real Sociedad failed to move into the top half of the table, though, as they were shocked 2-1 at home by Almeria.

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