Lionel Messi has scored 15 goals and produced 10 assists in his first 17 league games of the season

Barcelona restored their three-point lead at the top of La Liga with a comfortable home win over Celta Vigo.
Ousmane Dembele opened the scoring on 10 minutes, following up Lionel Messi's saved shot after the Argentine had initially played a delightful ball through to Jordi Alba.
Messi doubled the lead just before half-time, finishing neatly from the edge of the area as the defence parted.


Atletico Madrid had moved level on points with Barca by beating Espanyol.
Antoine Griezmann's penalty gave Atletico a 1-0 victory, but the Catalans re-established their advantage with a fourth straight league win without conceding.

    Relive Barcelona's win over Celta Vigo
After a slow start, Celta Vigo grew into the contest but ultimately struggled to create clear-cut opportunities - captain Hugo Mallo wasting their best chance in the first half as he failed to hit the target from close range.
Home goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen was forced into a goalline save from a dangerous corner, before denying substitute Pione Sisto in the closing stages.
At the other end, Ruben Blanco did well to deny Dembele, then produced a good save to keep out Nelson Semedo's effort as Barcelona cruised to victory in their final match of 2018.
Defeat leaves Miguel Cardoso's Celta Vigo 10th in La Liga.

    Line-ups
    Match Stats
    Live Text

Line-ups

Barcelona

    1ter Stegen

    2Nélson Semedo

    3Piqué

    15Lenglet

    18Alba

    22VidalSubstituted forRamos de Oliveira Meloat 63'minutes

    5BusquetsSubstituted forAleñáat 86'minutes

    4Rakitic

    10Messi

    9Suárez

    11DembéléSubstituted forCoutinhoat 68'minutes

Substitutes

    6D Suárez

    7Coutinho

    8Ramos de Oliveira Melo

    13Cillessen

    21Aleñá

    27Miranda

    36Brandáriz

Celta Vigo

    13Blanco

    2Mallo

    4Araújo

    3Costas

    15Mazán

    23Méndez

    5YokusluSubstituted forLobotkaat 45'minutes

    21Sánchez

    19BoufalSubstituted forSistoat 76'minutes

    10Iago AspasBooked at 45minsSubstituted forBeltránat 52'minutes

    9Gómez

Substitutes

    1Álvarez

    8Beltrán

    11Sisto

    14Lobotka

    16Hjulsager

    20Vázquez

    22Cabral

Referee:

Eduardo Prieto Iglesias

Attendance:

78,686

Match Stats

Home TeamBarcelonaAway TeamCelta Vigo

Possession

Home52%

Away48%

Shots

Home9

Away11

Shots on Target

Home5

Away1

Corners

Home4

Away6

Fouls

Home14

Away15

Live Text

Posted at
Match ends, Barcelona 2, Celta de Vigo 0.Full TimePosted at 90'+4'
Second Half ends, Barcelona 2, Celta de Vigo 0.
Posted at 90'+3'
Foul by Coutinho (Barcelona).Posted at 90'+3'
Brais Méndez (Celta de Vigo) wins a free kick in the attacking half.Posted at 90'+2'
Attempt missed. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top right corner from a direct free kick.Posted at 90'+1'
Jordi Alba (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.Posted at 90'+1'
Foul by Hugo Mallo (Celta de Vigo).Posted at 90'
Attempt blocked. Coutinho (Barcelona) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ivan Rakitic.Posted at 89'
Corner, Celta de Vigo. Conceded by Jordi Alba.SubstitutionPosted at 86'
Substitution, Barcelona. Carles Aleñá replaces Sergio Busquets.Posted at 85'
Coutinho (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.Posted at 85'
Foul by Hugo Mallo (Celta de Vigo).Posted at 83'
Attempt missed. Brais Méndez (Celta de Vigo) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Pione Sisto.Posted at 82'
Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Posted at 82'
Foul by Pione Sisto (Celta de Vigo).Posted at 81'
Attempt missed. Fran Beltrán (Celta de Vigo) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Pione Sisto.Posted at 80'
Arthur (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.Posted at 80'
Foul by Brais Méndez (Celta de Vigo).Posted at 80'
Coutinho (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.Posted at 80'
Foul by Hugo Mallo (Celta de Vigo).Posted at 80'
Gerard Piqué (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Posted at 80'
Foul by Maxi Gómez (Celta de Vigo).Posted at 79'
Attempt blocked. Fran Beltrán (Celta de Vigo) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Robert Mazán.Posted at 77'
Attempt missed. Maxi Gómez (Celta de Vigo) header from a difficult angle on the left misses to the right. Assisted by Brais Méndez with a cross following a corner.Posted at 77'
Corner, Celta de Vigo. Conceded by Nélson Semedo.Posted at 77'
Attempt blocked. Robert Mazán (Celta de Vigo) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Stanislav Lobotka.SubstitutionPosted at 76'
Substitution, Celta de Vigo. Pione Sisto replaces Sofiane Boufal.Posted at 75'
Delay over. They are ready to continue.Posted at 74'
Delay in match David Costas (Celta de Vigo) because of an injury.Posted at 74'
Offside, Barcelona. Ivan Rakitic tries a through ball, but Lionel Messi is caught offside.Posted at 71'
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Hugo Mallo.Posted at 69'
Dangerous play by Sergio Busquets (Barcelona).Posted at 69'
Brais Méndez (Celta de Vigo) wins a free kick in the defensive half.SubstitutionPosted at 68'
Substitution, Barcelona. Coutinho replaces Ousmane Dembélé.Posted at 67'
Hand ball by Lionel Messi (Barcelona).Posted at 67'
Attempt saved. Nélson Semedo (Barcelona) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Lionel Messi.Posted at 66'
Offside, Barcelona. Jordi Alba tries a through ball, but Ousmane Dembélé is caught offside.Posted at 64'
Foul by Nélson Semedo (Barcelona).Posted at 64'
Sofiane Boufal (Celta de Vigo) wins a free kick in the defensive half.SubstitutionPosted at 63'
Substitution, Barcelona. Arthur replaces Arturo Vidal.

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Source: bbc.com