La Liga champions Barcelona stayed on the heels of leaders Real Madrid by coasting to a 3-0 home win over Athletic Bilbao on Saturday as Lionel Messi became the club's top scorer from free kicks.
Paco Alcacer scored his first league goal since joining from Valencia last year by turning in a pass from Neymar in the 18th minute while Messi whipped in an angled strike in the 40th, his 27th goal from a free kick for Barca.
Aleix Vidal scored the most impressive goal of the game by finishing off an audacious solo run in the 67th minute.
Barca stayed second in the standings, moving one point behind Real Madrid having played two games more. The leaders were due to visit Celta Vigo on Sunday but the game was postponed after the Balaidos stadium roof was damaged by storms.
Third-placed Sevilla visit Las Palmas on Sunday.
Fernando Torres made the most of a rare start by scoring both goals as Atletico Madrid beat neighbours Leganes 2-0 on Saturday.
Torres, who made his debut for Atletico against Leganes back in 2001, looked lively throughout the game. He could have scored as early as the second minute when he came charging at goal on the counter-attack but his attempted chip missed the target.
He won a penalty in the 14th minute and followed up on the rebound to put the hosts in charge after Antoine Griezmann saw his spot kick repelled by goalkeeper Iago Herrerin.
Torres scored his second goal in the 51st minute, beating the offside trap and latching on to a through ball before calmly lifting it over Herrerin. Atletico are fourth in the standings on 39 points.
Valencia were thrashed 4-0 at home by tiny Eibar, Voro's side suffering a second straight defeat after their troubles had been temporarily eased by two consecutive wins. Valencia are 16th on 19 points, six above Sporting Gijon who occupy the final spot in the relegation zone. Eibar move up to seventh on 32 points.
Espanyol are also on 32 points, in eighth position, after winning 1-0 at Malaga, their third consecutive league win.
In Barcelona, coach Luis Enrique made six changes to the team that beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 in Wednesday's King's Cup semi-final first leg, resting top scorer Luis Suarez, and it looked a risky move as Athletic made a bold start.
Raul Garcia struck the post early on, after Inaki Williams dispossessed Vidal, while Williams headed just beyond the post soon after as Barca again lacked control without injured midfielders Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta.
However, they took the lead when Neymar cut inside from the left and held off four opponents to serve up the ball for Alcacer to finally score a league goal for Barca in his 11th appearance.
Athletic continued to cause problems but the Catalans doubled their advantage before the break when Messi smashed the ball from the right-hand side of the area straight past Athletic goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz. The goal moved him ahead of Ronald Koeman as the club's top set-piece specialist with 27 goals from free kicks in all competitions.
Early in the second half, Barca midfielder Rafinha was forced off with a bleeding head after colliding with his goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, while Pique was taken off with a suspected hamstring strain.
Messi was substituted in the 64th minute but the Argentine maestro was soon all smiles as he watched Vidal race towards goal on the counter, flicking the ball over a defender before arrowing the ball into the far corner for the third.
"Athletic are always difficult opponents and although at times we were imprecise it's been a very positive day for us," Luis Enrique told reporters.
"If we want to win all three competitions this season we have to use the whole squad and today the players who play less often showed their worth."
Reuters
Sun Feb 05 2017
Athletic Bilbao's goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz and Barcelona's Paco Alcacer in action during the Spanish La Liga Santander in Camp Nou stadium, Barcelona, Feb 4, 2017. REUTERS
Microsoft labur AS1.7b di Indonesia untuk teknologi awan dan AI
Microsoft bakal melabur AS$1.7 bilion dalam tempoh empat tahun akan datang bagi pembangunan infrastruktur awan dan kecerdasan buatan di Indonesia, kata Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya Satya Nadella
Nadella sebagai berkata, pelaburan itu merupakan yang terbesar dalam sejarah 29 tahun Microsoft di negara itu.
Nadella sebagai berkata, pelaburan itu merupakan yang terbesar dalam sejarah 29 tahun Microsoft di negara itu.
Haiwan turut berisiko hadapi 'strok haba'
Gelombang haba yang melanda seluruh dunia memperlihatkan kesan jelas terhadap alam serta hidupan di muka bumi ini. Di Bangladesh misalnya, pengusaha-pengusaha kedai haiwan mencuba sedaya upaya untuk memastikan haiwan peliharaan di kedai mereka tidak mati dalam cuaca ekstrem ini.
Malaysia tewas 2-3 kepada Denmark pada aksi akhir kumpulan D
Malaysia dan Denmark masing-masing sudah pun melayakkan diri ke suku akhir selepas mencatat kemenangan 5-0 ke atas Hong Kong dan Algeria.
Fungsi JAKIM, Kementerian Perpaduan Negara berbeza - mohd na'im
Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (Hal Ehwal Agama) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar menegaskan fungsi Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) adalah berbeza dengan Kementerian Perpaduan Negara (KPN).
Sultan Nazrin dilantik pengerusi bagi tempoh dua tahun
Sultan Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah dilantik sebagai Pengerusi Majlis Kebangsaan Bagi Hal Ehwal Agama Islam Malaysia (MKI) bagi tempoh dua tahun berkuat kuasa 9 Mac 2024 hingga 8 Mac 2026.
JKN Terengganu siasat dakwaan kes keracunan makanan
Jabatan Kesihatan Negeri Terengganu sedang menyiasat dakwaan kes keracunan makanan selepas dipercayai menjamah sejenis kuih membabitkan beberapa individu termasuk kanak-kanak.
Remaja warga asing samun, menyamar pegawai polis ditahan
Polis menahan remaja lelaki pemegang kad Suruhanjaya Tinggi Pertubuhan Bangsa-bangsa Bersatu bagi Pelarian (UNHCR) kerana disyaki terbabit dengan kegiatan samun dan menyamar sebagai anggota polis.
Pesawah mengaku tidak bersalah
Seorang pesawah mengaku tidak bersalah di Mahkamah Sesyen Butterworth atas pertuduhan memuat naik mesej berbau hasutan mengaitkan Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim dengan aktiviti perjudian dalam satu kumpulan WhatsApp, lima hari lalu.
Terengganu tidak bincang cadangan hukuman sebat di khalayak - Azalina
Tiada sebarang perbincangan di antara Kerajaan Negeri Terengganu dan Kerajaan Persekutuan tentang cadangan pelaksanaan hukuman sebat bagi kesalahan syariah di khalayak atau tempat awam.
90 kes direkod di Kelantan dalam tempoh empat bulan
Polis Kelantan merekodkan 90 kes jenayah seksual di negeri itu dalam tempoh empat bulan pertama tahun ini.
LaLiga: Barcelona sudah jatuh ditimpa tangga
Barca mengharungi kekecewaan, termasuk kehilangan pemain tengah, Frenkie de Jong dan Pedri, akibat kecederaan separuh masa pertama.
Herrera pulang ke Bilbao secara pinjaman sepanjang musim
Athletic mempunyai pilihan untuk melanjutkan tempoh tinggalnya selama setahun tambahan atau membuat perjanjian itu kekal pada 2023.
Liga Juara-Juara: Atletico Madrid tewas kepada Athletic Bilbao
Atletico Madrid terlepas peluang memperkukukan kedudukan dalam kelompok empat teatas selepas tewas 0-2 kepada Athletic Bilbao.
Real Madrid alih tumpuan ke LaLiga
Ancelotti dikritik hebat apabila bertindak menurunkan Vinicius Jr dan Rodrygo yang tidak direhatkan.
Barcelona tunda sesi latihan selepas dua kes positif COVID-19
Skuad kendalian Ronald Koeman itu sepatutnya mempersiapkan diri bagi perlawanan LaLiga menentang Athletic Bilbao di Stadium San Mames malam esok.
Lopetegui, Ramos kecewa Madrid cicirkan mata
Skuad kendalian Lopetegui itu mencicirkan mata buat kali pertama musim ini selepas tandukan Isco memadamkan gol pendahuluan Iker Muniain di San Mames.
Chelsea sambar penjaga gol baharu untuk yuran rekod dunia RM377 juta
Pembelian Kepa Arrizabalaga untuk ganti pemergian Thibaut Courtois ke Real Madrid pecahkan rekod perpindahan Alisson Becker dari AS Roma ke Liverpool.