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Football

01st Feb 2017

Leo Messi rarely shoots with power, but when he does it’s absolutely terrifying

Is there anything he can't do?

Ben Kiely

If Lionel Messi went between the posts for a change, he’d probably keep a clean sheet… he’s just that good.

Anyone watching Barcelona’s Copa del Rey semi-final clash against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night probably thought they had seen the game’s best goal very early.

Just seven minutes in, Luis Suarez produced one of the finest goals he’s ever scored with an incredible solo effort after picking the ball up from the centre of the pitch.

His dizzying footwork, breakneck speed, beautifully subtle touches and that gorgeous finish from the outside of the boot gave it all the ingredients for a goal of the year contender.

But the Uruguayan’s effort wasn’t even the best goal of the game. That accolade went to the incomparable Lionel Messi.

We’re used to seeing the Argentine football wizard weaving and dancing past defenders and doing physics-defying magic with the ball en route to a sensational assist or placed finish. It’s a rare occurrence that we actually get to see him wind up that traction engine left foot, catch it on the sweet spot of the instep and rocket the ball towards goal.

However, that’s exactly what he did against Atletico, and the resulting goal had beauty so staggering that most people wouldn’t argue with it taking the Mona Lisa’s spot in the Louvre.

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