Messi best player in football history – Luis Enrique

     

Barcelona boss Luis Enrique declared Lionel Messi 'the best player in history' after the Argentina star's last-minute winner at Real Madrid blew open the La Liga title race.

Messi's 500th Barcelona goal - struck with the last kick of a thrilling match - gave the visitors a memorable 3-2 Bernabeu victory and takes them to the La Liga summit.

The two sides are level on 75 points, but Barcelona sit top by virtue of having the better head-to-head record from the two games with Real.

      

Zinedine Zidane's side do have a game in hand with six matches to play, but Barcelona will be hoping for a momentum shift after Messi ended his run of six El Clasico games without a goal.

'He is the best player in history, he is incredibly decisive at all times,' Enrique was quoted as saying by Marca on Messi's virtuoso performance.

'I have seen a lot of football, it is a great pleasure that he is one of us.'

Casemiro gave Real a 28th-minute lead after Sergio Ramos had hooked against the post.

But Barcelona were level within five minutes when Messi burst on to Ivan Rakitic's pass on the edge of the box and finished in style.

 

'We are disappointed with the result, when you get back to 2-2 with 10 men you have to think a little more and defend together.'

Both sides are in action again on Wednesday night - Barcelona at home to Osasuna and Real away to Deportivo La Coruna - and Zidane said their focus must now turn to that game.

'I have to look at the game again but I wouldn't have changed anything,' Zidane said.

'There is a lot of the league left and we have to think about the next game.'