Lionel Messi insists Barcelona need to concentrate on La Liga title race

Argentine superstar Lionel Messi has said that Barcelona should remain focused on the title race following their stunning 4-2 comeback triumph over Sevilla on the road. The Blaugrana were 2-1 down at the hands of the Andalusian outfit at the interval, but they managed to turn things around with Messi coming up with the 50th hat-trick of his career.

Following the game, Messi said that the Catalan giants still have a long route to retaining the league title and they need to avoid complacency during the forthcoming run of fixtures, he told BeIN Sports: “No, because there is a long way to go. But it was really important to win because of what it means to win here and to keep our distance ahead of our rivals. Now more than ever, you have to use your head. Every time, it becomes more difficult to win, so we go away happy. We know what this ground is and what players they have. It was a difficult match for us but we were able to move forward.”
“With the victory, the Catalans have jumped 10 points ahead of Atletico Madrid “but the latter can reduce the gap when they face Villareal at the Wanda Metropolitano tomorrow. Elsewhere, Barcelona are scheduled to tackle Real Madrid on the road for the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final where “the tie remains poised“.

The Blaugrana failed to take complete advantage of the opening leg at the Camp Nou where they managed only a 1-1 draw but they have the opportunity to make amends when they make the trip to the Bernabeu. Barcelona have won each of the previous four editions of the Copa del Rey and they have every chance of extending the streak, given Los Blancos have struggled for consistency over the course of the season.