La Liga 2017/18: Barcelona 2-0 Real Betis - 5 Talking Points

#4 Messi has it all to do and he looks up for the challenge

Lionel Messi will not be bullied into stopping

Following the departure of Neymar, the creative onus was destined to fall back on Lionel Messi. However, the injury to Luis Suarez was unexpected and dealt a further blow to the Barcelona's ambitions for this season.

Messi started the game alongside Paco Alcacer and Gerard Deulofeu as his partners and took over the creative mantle while also showing a hunger for goals, which many said has been missing from his game for a long while.

The diminutive Argentine registered more than 10 shots, with 3 of them rattling the crossbar, while also going very close with a couple of the rest. Starting the game on the right, the 5-time Ballon d'Or winner drifted to the false nine position he made famous under Pep Guardiola and tried to force things from the deep.

Even though Deulofeu impressed and was responsible for the two goals, it was Messi who was once again Barcelona's best player and on another day could have had a hat-trick. How Barcelona end the transfer window remains to be seen but one thing is for sure Messi knows he has to do it all alone and he surely looks to be up for it.