Player ratings as Barça beat Real to keep title dreams alive

Barcelona kept up the pressure on La Liga leaders Atlético de Madrid as they managed a 6-1 victory over Real Sociedad in San Sebastián on Sunday night.

Barça came close to being left behind by Alexander Isak’s good efforts twice early on, but Marc-Andre ter Stegen denied it twice in Barcelona’s goal.

The visitors took the lead in the 37th minute with Antoine Griezmann’s birthday tap-in and didn’t look back. Six minutes later, Lionel Messi slipped Sergiño Dest to shoot home, before the USMNT star doubled up after the break from a wonderful assist from Jordi Alba.

Messi inevitably got on the scoreboard three minutes later to end the game, holding on to a sumptuous pass from Sergio Busquets and applying the shot. Ousmane Dembélé then capped a labyrinthine dribble with a low drive, before Ander Barrentxea shot home a consolation for the hosts.

The Blaugrana talisman Messi completed the win late, finishing in a characteristic way after the excellent preparation work of Riqui Puig and Alba.

The resounding result leaves Barcelona four points behind Atléti, leader of the table, in La Liga. Here’s how your players rated …

Marc-Andre ter Stegen (POR) – 7/10 – It saved well from an effort from Isak at close range early on. Tried again by the Swede later in the middle, but got off to save brilliantly.

Oscar Mingueza (CB) – 7/10 – He tried to support the attack in the first half but was a little weak with his pass. He rarely cared about anything else and seemed calm and confident.

Frenkie de Jong (CB) – 6/10 – He almost paid the price after Isak shrugged and dispossessed him in the first half. He seemed more comfortable in midfield in the second half.

Clemente Lenglet (CB) – 6/10 – To be honest, I had very little to do all night, but I did the simple things with a minimum of fuss.

Sergiño Dest (RWB) – 8/10 – Saw a badly hit cross fall on the bar. He doubled the lead with a powerful shot, the first in the league, after being chosen by Messi. He got his second and third for Barça after blocking a clearance to the back of the net after the break.

Sergio Busquets (CM) – 7/10 – Reserved to stop a break in the first half. It was arranged with a graceful assist for Messi and was generally clean and tidy otherwise.

Pedri (CM) – 6/10 – Clean in possession, but turned down a good shot from the edge of the box in the first period. It didn’t have much of an impact other than keeping things going.

Jordi Alba (LWB) – 8/10 – An all night threat. He reached the baseline to provide the pass that led to the opener, then delivered a wonderful assist after another fascinating run and nutmeg early in the second half, before resupplying Messi on the dying embers. Unstoppable.

Lionel Messi (RF) – 9/10 – Constantly machining on the edge of the 18-yard box. He participated in the preparation of the first match and helped Dest with a beautiful direct pass. He slammed himself down the quarter, finishing off a cut ball over the top of Busquets. He doubled in the penultimate minute after a nice play by Alba and Riqui Puig.

Ousmane Dembélé (CF) – 8/10 – He missed a tap-in in the first half but luckily the rebound fell to Griezmann. He had a goal disallowed for offside by VAR minutes before embarking on a brilliant long run and driving home.

Antoine Griezmann (LF) – 8/10 – After a quiet first half hour on his birthday, he pounced on Dembélé’s rebound to open the scoring, the second in as many games. He used the ball well at all times and posed a constant threat.

Riqui Puig – 7/10 – Excellent work in preparation for Messi’s second.

Francisco Trincão – N / A

Martin Braithwaite – 5/10 – Reserved.

Ronald Araujo – N / A

Ilaix Moriba – 6/10 – I got an assist for Dembélé.

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