Date: February 28, 2005Competition: La Liga – Matchday 20Fixture: FC Barcelona vs. Athletic BilbaoVenue: Camp Nou, BarcelonaAttendance: 76,000Weather: Cloudy, 8°CKickoff: 8:30 PM
Athletic Club didn't come to dance.They came to break rhythm.
Barcelona's style?Fluid, quick, elegant.
Bilbao's?Hard tackles. Tight lines. Vertical balls. Basque blood.
The first ten minutes were a brawl in disguise.
Minute 4
Messi got the ball for the first time — hugged the right touchline.
One step over. A shift inside.Then boom — a shoulder charge from the left-back sent him tumbling to the ground.
No foul.No whistle.Just roars from the away section.
He stood up, rubbed his ribs, and jogged back into space.
"They're testing you," Puyol said during a break."Don't play their game. Play yours."
Minute 15
Xavi and Deco began calming the storm.
Short passes. Triangles. Patience.
Messi began drifting infield more, seeking touches in pockets.
In the 17th minute, he received the ball centrally, turned into a burst of space, and fed Eto'o through the line.
Shot. Saved.
But it was a sign: Barcelona had found breath.
Minute 28: Messi vs. the Wall
He picked it up near the halfway line. This time, he didn't stop.
One. Two. Three men beaten.
He reached the edge of the box. Defender lunged in again.
He slipped past — but the final man clipped his heel.
Free kick. 22 yards out. Dead center.
The Camp Nou held its breath.
Messi stepped up.
One… two… three steps. Left foot.Over the wall. Curling.
Off the bar.
So close. The stadium groaned.
Minute 39: The Hit Back
Barcelona continued pressing.
A long ball from Marquez found Deco near the left. He controlled and cut it back low.
Messi, arriving at the edge of the area, struck it first time with his left.
GOAL. 1–0.
The stadium exploded.
He ran to the sideline, pointing at Deco, then the crowd.
Eighteen years old. Starting. Scoring again.
Second Half – Bilbao's Fire
They responded with fury.
In the 49th minute, their striker headed home a corner.1–1.
Barcelona now faced a battle.
Messi dropped deeper to help in build-up. Rijkaard signaled: keep moving, use width.
Minute 64
After a rough sequence of tackles, Messi stood over the ball on the wing. Three men ahead.
He danced.He ducked.He dribbled past two, nutmegged a third, and whipped a low cross in.
Eto'o reached it just in time — sliding finish.
GOAL. 2–1. Assist: Messi.
Pure improvisation. Pure fire.
Final Minutes
Bilbao threw men forward. Valdés made two late saves.
In the 88th, Messi took a knock to his shin but stayed on.
At full time, he walked off with mud on his kit, sweat dripping, and a silent fire in his eyes.
Final Score:
Barcelona 2–1 Athletic BilbaoGoals: Messi (39'), Eto'o (64'); Bilbao (49')Assists: Deco, Messi
Post-Match Comments
Coach Rijkaard:
"They kicked him, pulled him, shadowed him. And he kept coming. That's not just talent — that's heart."
Eto'o:
"He sees spaces I don't. That second goal? He made that moment out of nothing."
Press Headlines:
"Barcelona's Fire Is Lit by Leo Again" – Marca
"Messi: The Future? No. The Present." – SPORT
"La Liga's Youngest Star, and Brightest One" – El País
Notebook Entry – February 28, 2005
Anto,Tonight hurt. But I'm learning — pain means you're still standing.They kicked. I passed. They shoved. I moved.And I scored again.It's not about the goals. It's about staying standing when they want you down.They know who I am now. But I haven't even started.— Leo
Lionel Messi – Updated Stats (as of Feb 28, 2005)
Season (Club):
Matches: 30
Goals: 19
Assists: 20
Free Kick Goals: 1 (match), 3 (training)
Dribbles Completed: 148
Fouls Suffered: 68
La Liga Standing (After 20 Matches):
1st: Barcelona – 57 pts
2nd: Real Madrid – 54 pts
3rd: Villarreal – 50 pts
4th: Sevilla – 46 pts
Total Career Stats (Club + Country)
Total Matches: 30
Total Goals: 19
Total Assists: 20
Dribbles Completed: 148
National Team Matches: 0
National Team Goals/Assists: 0 / 0
World Football Updates:
Premier League: John Terry scores a late winner for Chelsea, extending their lead. Arsenal fall further behind.
Bundesliga: Podolski linked with Bayern; Ballack speaks on "wanting silverware again."
Serie A: Adriano scores a hat trick for Inter Milan. Rumors begin swirling of a summer move to Spain.
Youth Football: UEFA U-17 buzz around a young Spanish midfielder named Cesc Fàbregas… Arsenal fans are already watching.