Player Ratings: Barcelona 2-1 Leganés – Messi and Ter Stegen to the rescue

Barcelona 2-1 Leganés La Liga Player Ratings

FC Barcelona weren’t at their best on Sunday night but got lucky as they needed a late Lionel Messi penalty to beat relegation threatened newcomers 2-1 in their 23rd La Liga game of the season at Camp Nou.

Messi scored on the fourth minute before Unai Lopez equalised for a determined Leganés side who played as the better side for most of the period. Neymar then did well to win a penalty late on which Messi scored on the 90th minute. It wasn’t a vintage performance at the Camp Nou, in fact it was very poor, but Barça got all three points and keep their hopes of winning the title alive. Here’s how the players fared in the game.

MARC–ANDRÉ TER STEGEN – 8.5
The team’s best player and this says a lot. He made three amazing saves on the first half to keep Barça in the game. Could’ve done better to stop Lopez’s goal but he’s been so crucial to get criticised, he also pulled another great save after that. He was very good, in great form.

SERGI ROBERTO – 2.5
He was so poor.. So bad, he didn’t know what he was doing.. Terrible going forward and link up play was atrocious. Gave the ball away in a dangerous area that led to Leganés getting the equaliser. A new RB is needed.

SAMUEL UMTITI – 6.0
His highlight of the game was his passing, great passing and he did well bring the ball out of the defence. But he was basic defensively.

JÉRÉMY MATHIEU – 7.0
Best defender of the night although he made a couple of shaky errors. Amazing pace helped him on more than one occasions as he pulled two life-saving tackles to stop Leganés one-on-one situations. Good game.

LUCAS DIGNE – 5.5
Started well but then died down.. Pulled a crucial tackle during the game. Link up with the players on the right wasn’t all good. Mixed game. Replaced by Alba late on.

ANDRÉ GOMES – 2.5
Suffered all through the night. Struggled a lot in midfield and looked lost most of the time. Couldn’t create, couldn’t do anything good. He was bad. Fans are getting tired of him, he was whistled at the end of the game. Iniesta replaced him for the final ten minutes.

IVAN RAKITIC – 5.5
Not a bad game, helped more in defence as he was working his heart out the entire game.. Provided little going forward through.

RAFINHA ALCÁNTARA – 5.0
Average game.. Although he had some really good moments and was the one who provided the most in attack among the mid fielders.. Had a shot cleared off the line in the second half.

LIONEL MESSI – 7.5
Not his best game, tried a lot of things that didn’t go through. But he won the game for Barcelona with his brace. Looked to play in midfield where he receives the ball and move it forward, didn’t celebrate his match winner because he wasn’t happy.

LUIS SUÁREZ – 6.5
Didn’t pose so much of a threat to the Leganés defence, but he was productive in many occasions. Did well to set up Messi for the opener.

NEYMAR – 6.5
Was lively as always but struggled to make a difference, and the players on the left with him didn’t help. Did well to win the penalty for Barça after drawing a foul in the box late on.

SUBSTITUTES…

ANDRÉS INIESTA – 5.5
Luis Enrique brought him on to play the final ten to fifteen minutes and he didn’t do much.

DENIS SUÁREZ – 5.5
Replaced Rafinha Alcántara and did more in defence than in attack.

JORDI ALBA – 5.5
Came on for Lucas Digne late on and looked better playing a few minutes.

LUIS ENRIQUE – 2.0
Should leave.. Poor lineup, poor approach to the game, poor substitutions.. Needed Messi to bail him.. Should leave.

THE TEAM: 4.5
Poor game and lack of flow and enthusiasm.. Almost got beaten by Leganés just when the fans needed a reaction after the PSG loss. Shameful.