Messi celebrates 500th game with goal in Betis win

Barcelona returned to Liga BBVA action after winning the Club World Cup in Japan and presented the five trophies they had won in 2015 to the Nou Camp before kickoff.

Messi 500

Lionel Messi was playing his 500th game in a Barcelona shirt and he went close to breaking the deadlock after 23 minutes when he curled a freekick just wide of the post.

Betis responded when Dani Ceballos stole the ball off Dani Alves and raced into the area only a minute later but the 19-year-old hesitated and the Brazilian recovered to tackle him inside the six-yard box.

Neymar penalty

The game turned in Barca’s favour when Antonio Adan collided with Messi as he came to punch a ball and the referee blew for a penalty.

Neymar stepped up to take it but slipped and spooned his effort against the crossbar only for the rebound to be turned into his own net by Heiko Westermann.

Messi scores

If the first goal had a touch of luck about it the second was a brilliant flowing move in the 33rd minute. Messi and Neymar played a one-two in midfield and another inside the area, with the Brazilian squaring for Messi to poke the ball home amidst a crowd of players.

Luis Suarez made it 3-0 just after the re-start when Sergio Busquets won the ball just outside the Betis area and fed the Uruguayan who slotted the ball inside the near post.

With Luis Suárez's strike, Barça have now scored more goals in a calendar year than anyone - 179 in 2015 #FCBlive pic.twitter.com/eKLETjSyjs

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 30, 2015

Woodwork intervenes

Barca, who had drawn their last two league games against Valencia and RC Deportivo, cruised through the second half. Neymar hit the post, Adan denied Messi and Alves lobbed an effort against the crossbar.

Messi curled a freekick against the crossbar but there was still time for a fourth as Neymar’s clever backheel in the area fed Luis Suarez and the Barca number nine scored his 15th goal of the campaign.