Twitter reacts as Lionel Messi's 600th career goal gives Barcelona 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid

Five points separated Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in the Spanish La Liga table before this game. That gap is now 8 points after Ernesto Valverde's side won 1-0 at the Camp Nou thanks to a Lionel Messi masterpiece of a free-kick. Barcelona are still undefeated in the league with 11 games to go.

The Argentine forward's first-half goal was the 600th goal of his career for club and country. He has now scored 539 goals for Barcelona and and 61 for Argentina. He has also reached the 600-mark faster than Cristiano Ronaldo (857 games).

Here's how Twitter reacted to the game - especially Messi's landmark goal.

Lionel Messi makes the difference once again! 💥#BarcaAtleti 1-0 pic.twitter.com/mc9ZW0bUG9

— LaLiga (@LaLigaEN) March 4, 2018

3 - Messi has scored one direct free kick in three consecutive La Liga games for the first time in his career. Laser. pic.twitter.com/azJNVBswoz

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) March 4, 2018

Lionel Messi keeps surprising us every single dayScores this perfect free-kick in our most important La Liga game of the season 🔥❤️ pic.twitter.com/O4SKgblxuo

— infosmessi (@INFOSMESSl) March 4, 2018

Lionel Messi – 600 career goals1st goal v Albacete, May 2005100th v D. Kiev, Sep 2009200th v R. Madrid, Aug 2011300th v Rayo, Oct 2012400th v Granada, Sep 2014500th v Valencia, Apr 2016600th v At. Madrid, Mar 2018 pic.twitter.com/W1bqjsdeaH

— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) March 4, 2018

Lionel Messi has now scored 600 goals in competitive matches for club and country:Barcelona (539)Argentina (61)Seriously though, how good is this guy? 🐐 pic.twitter.com/Y4BrwFhQq2

— Squawka Football (@Squawka) March 4, 2018

⚽ More! With the goal from #Messi, FC Barcelona reach a century of goals in official competition this season, Well done, Barça! 👏🔵🔴 #ForçaBarça pic.twitter.com/8u21mYk3X5

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 4, 2018

Messi is insane! He curls that free-kick over the wall - over a jumping Diego freaking Costa - gets it to dip and beats Jan Oblak who knew exactly what he was going to do. #BarcaAtleti

— Rohith Nair (@RohithNair) March 4, 2018

Lionel Freekick-Master Messi #Messi600 pic.twitter.com/1HC4GDlvX1

— FCB One Touch (@fcb_OneTouch) March 4, 2018

Messi might be the only player that you would rather foul inside the penalty area than outside of it.

— Alexandra Jonson (@AlexandraJonson) March 4, 2018

Messi has just struck another 25 yard freekick into the top corner. He’s so predictable.

— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) March 4, 2018

🇦🇷 Lionel Messi’s Last 3 Games For @FCBarcelona:🆚 Atletico 🎯 Scored A Free-Kick🆚 Las Palmas🎯 Scored A Free-Kick🆚 Girona🎯 Scored A Free-Kick👽 Out Of This World.(🎥 @SkySports) https://t.co/xcOR9S7Uly

— SPORF (@Sporf) March 4, 2018

#MESSI600 By body part:496 ⚽ Left foot077 ⚽ Right foot024 ⚽ Header001 ⚽ Hip001 ⚽ Chest001 ⚽ Hand #BarcaAtleti

— #MESSI600 (@MessiStats_) March 4, 2018

Ronaldo is incredible but he’s not better than Messi. Lionel will go down as the greatest ever. Ronaldo will be up there but unfortunately behind Messi 🐐

— David Meyler (@DavidMeyler7) March 4, 2018

1-0 FT From the 20 points Atlético Madrid have dropped this season in #laliga, they have squandered 12 against the three Catalan opponents they face in the division and 8 against the 16 others. #fcblive

— Gracenote Live (@GracenoteLive) March 4, 2018

Barcelona are the 5th team in Europe’s top 5 leagues to score 100+ goals in all competitions this season after PSG (140), Man City (117), R. Madrid (106) & Liverpool (105) pic.twitter.com/19dZRpUdtc

— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) March 4, 2018

Lionel Messi has scored more goals from direct free-kicks (5) than any other player in Europe's top 5 Leagues this season.All 5 have come in 2018. 🎯 pic.twitter.com/5rLqb0jpNj

— Squawka Football (@Squawka) March 4, 2018

Note to Barcelona's opponents: When Messi lines up a free kick, your best defense isn't to have members of your wall jump up in the air, but to have them get down on their knees and beg for mercy.

— Brooks Peck (@BrooksDT) March 4, 2018

Messi is the greatest of all time every match, the others greats don’t come anywhere close to his consistency. End of story.

— Rafael Hernández (@RafaelH117) March 4, 2018

Messi scored his 600th goal to beat Atletico and surely clinch La Liga for @FCBarcelona. If he were just a goal scorer it would be astonishing, but the fact he’s also the best dribbler I’ve ever seen and as good a passer as I’ve ever seen makes him the best I’ve ever seen. 🐐

— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) March 4, 2018

Meanwhile, Andres Iniesta's injury may be a worry for Barcelona fans - and maybe Spain fans too - ahead of the 2018 World Cup.

[INJURY NEWS] @andresiniesta8 has a hamstring injury in his right leg. More tests are needed to find out the extent of the problem #BarçaAtleti pic.twitter.com/2rhv79AekT

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 4, 2018