Primera Liga round-up: Barca target PSG ‘miracle’ after Messi-inspired rout; Real Madrid win without Bale, Ronaldo

Lionel Messi of Barcelona runs past Sergi Gomez of Celta Vigo to score the opening goal at the Camp Nou on March 4, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Dan Istitene / Getty Images

BARCELONA // Ivan Rakitic believes “a miracle” is possible when Barcelona attempt to overturn a 4-0 first-leg deficit against Paris Saint-Germain in their Uefa Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday.

No side in Champions League history has ever come back from four goals down, but Barca hopes were raised by the sensational form of Lionel Messi in Saturday’s 5-0 rout of Celta Vigo.

“We will give everything from the first minute to the last,” the Croatian international told Spanish TV station Movistar. “We will try and hopefully we can produce a miracle.”

Messi scored two incredible individual goals to open and close the scoring as Barca remained one point clear of Real Madrid at the top of the Primera Liga.

The five-time World Player of the Year had a hand in all three other goals too as he teed up Neymar for a sensational chip and crossed for Samuel Umtiti to score his first Barca goal, whilst Rakitic was also on the scoresheet.

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■ Diego Forlan: The demands of managing Barcelona are huge – Luis Enrique deserves a rest

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In their first outing since manager Luis Enrique announced he will step down at the end of the season, Barca produced arguably their best performance of the campaign.

The Catalans also smashed Sporting Gijon 6-1 in their previous outing, both scorelines which would be good enough when PSG visit in midweek.

And Enrique said he could not have wished for a better build-up to the ultimate challenge.

“That it is one of our best performances in the last few months is without doubt,” he said. “If I had to choose the way in which we would go into the Champions League game against PSG it would be very similar to these last two games: scoring lots of goals, the team gaining confidence and the players getting stronger.

“I think we are in great form for a very difficult tie, that is not lost yet.

“I am sure we are going to have opportunities to get ourselves back in it and we will try until the death.”

Enrique’s name was chanted by an enthralled crowd at the Camp Nou on Saturday.

Banners were also raised towards the end of the match willing Barca’s players to believe in the most unlikely of comebacks against PSG.

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane praised his side’s reaction to a slump in form as Karim Benzema scored twice in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale in a 4-1 win at Eibar earlier on Saturday.

Victory took Madrid back top of La Liga briefly before Barca’s victory later on Saturday after losing their grip on the title race after defeat to Valencia and a thrilling 3-3 draw with Las Palmas in two of their previous three outings.

“I am happy with our reaction,” Zidane said. “In the course of a season there are moments when you have to suffer and it is normal that you can’t always play well.

“We started very strongly and at a high tempo, which is very important away from home.”

Indeed, Madrid were 3-0 up inside half an hour as Benzema finished twice from close range before teeing up James Rodriguez for the third.

“Benzema had a part in all four goals. I am happy for him, he had a great game,” Zidane said.

Marco Asensio grabbed Madrid’s fourth before Ruben Pena pulled back a consolation for Eibar.

RESULTS:

■ Friday

Real Betis 2 Real Sociedad 3

Saturday

■ Leganes 1 Granada 0

■ Eibar 1 Real Madrid 4

■ Villarreal 2 Espanyol 0

■ Barcelona 5 Celta Vigo 0

FIXTURES:

Sunday (times UAE)

■ Sporting Gijon v Deportivo La Coruna, 3pm

■ Atletico Madrid v Valencia, 7.15pm

■ Las Palmas v Osasuna, 9.30pm

■ Athletic Bilbao v Malaga, 11.45pm

Monday

■ Alaves v Sevilla, 11.45pm

* Agence France-Presse

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