From a set‑piece routine, Messi picks out Adriano on the edge of the area, but Adriano’s left‑footed strike flies over the bar.

Messi’s direct left‑footed free kick from outside the box beats the goalkeeper but crashes against the crossbar and stays out.

Messi leads a rapid counterattack and slides a precise pass to David Villa, who finishes with a right‑footed shot into the top right corner for Barcelona’s opener.

Messi times his run perfectly onto David Villa’s through ball, then curls a left‑footed shot from the left side of the box into the bottom left corner to make it 2–0.

From a tight angle on the right, Messi’s left‑footed shot is parried away high in the center of the goal by Rubén Martínez after a pass from Dani Alves.

On another fast break, Messi arrives centrally to meet David Villa’s pass and slots a left‑footed shot from the middle of the box into the bottom left corner for Barcelona’s third.

Messi cuts in from the left side of the box onto a pass from Cesc Fàbregas, but his left‑footed attempt is blocked by the Rayo defense.

Messi finds space in the center of the box and unleashes a left‑footed shot that is tipped over in the top center of the goal by Rubén Martínez after a pass from David Villa.

Messi feeds David Villa outside the box, and Villa’s powerful right‑footed strike is saved low to the bottom right corner by Rubén Martínez.