Spanish LaLiga
Result: FC Barcelona 3-0 Deportivo Alaves
Date: 18 August 2018
Venue: Camp Nou
FC Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi began the season with a brace as the LaLiga champions registered a 3-0 win over Deportivo Alaves at the Camp Nou.
Despite bringing in four new players, Ernesto Valverde went with the tried and tested as Ousmane Dembele and Sergi Roberto were included in the line-up, while Philippe Coutinho and Arturo Vidal started on the bench.
The home side dominated the possession as expected, but the likes of Messi and Ousmane Dembele were finding it tough to break down the Alaves defence.
Barca had to wait until the 30th minute for the first clear opening as Roberto played in Dembele, who dragged his volley wide of the upright.
The woodwork came to Barca's frustration on 37 minutes when Messi's curling free-kick from 25-yards out crashed against the crossbar.
The frustration continued for Dembele as the Frenchman squandered another chance by slicing his effort wide of the mark from 10-yards out before the break.
After a disappointing first half, Valverde introduced Coutinho for Nelson Semedo as the home side looked to break the deadlock in the second stanza.
The hosts eventually broke the deadlock on 63 minutes as Messi opened his account for the campaign with a superb free-kick that sailed under wall and into the back of the net.
Dembele endured a frustrating evening and he was hauled off after 76 minutes to make way for new signing Arthur.
The game was wrapped up in the 83rd minute as Coutinho skipped past two challenges before burying the ball into the far corner.
Messi had the final say in the second minute of time added on, as he completed his brace with a neat finish at the near post as Barca ran out 3-0 winners on the day.
