Messi returns with a bang as Rafinha inspires Barcelona

Lionel Messi scored within three minutes of returning to action for the first time in more than three weeks to help fire Barcelona to a resounding 4-0 home win over Deportivo La Coruña.

The Brazilian midfielder Rafinha put the league champions ahead in the 21st minute with the help of lax goalkeeping from Germán Lux and slid in the second in the 36th after the stopper failed to hold Gerard Piqué’s header.

Luis Suárez combined with Neymar to stretch Barça’s lead two minutes before the break and Messi latched on to a through ball from Neymar to stroke the ball high into the net in the 58th minute.

The Argentina maestro had replaced Sergio Busquets moments earlier to the delight of the Camp Nou faithful, also taking the captain’s armband from his team-mate. Messi looked fully recovered from the groin injury he had sustained against Atlético Madrid last month and is expected to return to the starting lineup for Wednesday’s mouthwatering Champions League game against Manchester City, managed by Pep Guardiola, the former Barça coach.

“Messi did not take long to make his mark on the game,” said Luis Enrique, who adopted an unorthodox 3-5-2 formation for the second time this season. “Our aim was to surprise them and it worked how we wanted it to. We created lots of chances and they created none. Deportivo have conceded very few goals this season and we got four.”

Barcelona are third in the table, behind Atlético, who beat Granada 7-1 in the capital.

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