Twitter explodes as Lionel Messi's heroics go in vain as Barcelona lose title to Real Madrid

Lionel Messi did all he could to make the La Liga title race interesting but it was not enough

Barcelona needed a win on the final day of the season, while also requiring Real Madrid to lose their game against Malaga. The Catalan giants came back from being 2 goals down to beat Eibar 4-2 but it wasn’t enought at Real Madrid recorded a 2-0 win over Malaga to win their 33^rd league title, and their first since 2011-12.

Takashi Inui scored twice to shock Barcelona with excellent finishes before Junca scored an own goal after Neymar’s shot had cannoned off the upright. Jordi Alba took a tumble inside the box after kicking the floor instead of the ball and the referee awarded Barcelona a penalty. Lionel Messi stepped up to take the penalty but his spot kick – which was drilled straight down the middle – was saved by Yoel as it stuck his legs and went up.

Luis Suarez – who was having a stinker of a game – then scored the equaliser poking home from a few yards out after Paco Alcacer had flicked the ball towards the back post. Barcelona were awarded another penalty after Capa was adjudged to have fouled Neymar inside the box – which resulted in his sending off – and Messi stepped up to dispatch the spot-kick to give his side the lead.

Messi then scored another magical goal to finish the season on a high as he beat 6 Eibar players in a mesmerizing run which staeted near the halway line and culminated with the ball in the back of the net. It was his 37^th league goal of the season and ensured that he wins his 4^th Pichichi ever while also helping him win the European Golden Shoe.

Twitter, as you would expect, went wild seeing the magical display of their stalwart, which was not enough to win the Blaugrana their 3^rd consecutive La Liga title. Here are the best tweets:

Ouch! That must have hurt...

Congratulations to Real Madrid on winning the 2016-17 La Liga.
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) May 21, 2017

Messi being Messi...

Leo Messi gets his FOURTH European Golden Boot at just 29 years of age. pic.twitter.com/fnZozDdhMU
— Chef (@champ_ian) May 21, 2017

GOOOOOOAAAAALLLL !!!

Lionel Messi scores his 55th goal of the season (club & country).#FCBLive #FCBEibar https://t.co/YvHnZ2PNKc
— Quotes on Messi (@MessiQuote) May 21, 2017

Disgraceful from Jordi Alba!

Barcelona just got a penalty for this... pic.twitter.com/0LQ1VpahkQ
— Futbol Vines (@6SecondFutbol) May 21, 2017

I do wonder when Barcelona players will stop pathetically diving for penalties. Ridiculous how they get away with it.
— Liam Canning (@LiamPaulCanning) May 21, 2017

What goes around, comes around!

Eibar winning 2-1 against Barcelona. Alba with a dive. Wins a penalty. Messi takes it and misses. This is great stuff.
— RMadridHome (@RMadridHome_) May 21, 2017

Messi being filthy as ever...

Lionel Messi with his 53rd goal of the season for Barcelona v Eibar #BarcaEibar pic.twitter.com/aurwqXYZgP
— Mike (@ian_hendry79) May 21, 2017

Messi for FC Barcelona this season:

- Games: 51
- Goals: 53
- Assists: 21 pic.twitter.com/wZZSa6ki3E
— Leo Messi (@messi10stats) May 21, 2017

Messi finishes La Liga with a sensational Goal! What a player! pic.twitter.com/MG7toupUu7
— Sahil (@CriminalFIFA) May 21, 2017

Messi things. pic.twitter.com/NeGh5SiICa
— nextBarca (@nextBarca) May 21, 2017

Top scorer in La Liga

Soon to be Europe’s Golden Shoe winner

Still not a bad season for Lionel Messi pic.twitter.com/kK2PFJLCcd
— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 21, 2017

Thought provoking!

Real Madrid have been in 3 of the last 4 Champions League finals and yet, nobody mentions them in the same breath as Pep's Barcelona.
— Chris Millington (@ChrisMilIington) May 21, 2017

He made up for that sitter with an exquisite goal, didn’t he?

Lionel Messi missing sitters for Barcelona, who are losing 2-0 to Eibar at home, while Real Madrid are on the verge of winning La Liga. Oh.
— Liam Canning (@LiamPaulCanning) May 21, 2017

Just Messi things!

HISTORY: Messi has scored 7 braces consecutively in his last 7 La Liga home games. pic.twitter.com/Y0j5TCCGzB
— Leo Messi (@messi10stats) May 21, 2017

That goal though...

It was offside...but I'm just gonna leave this here #messi pic.twitter.com/Ww9VHjefY1
— (@greg_day2810) May 21, 2017

Messi with one of the great offside goals of all time...
— Chef (@champ_ian) May 21, 2017

Oh Lucho, it is good that you are going!

Messi misses the penalty to show that without him Luis Enrique would be coaching Salernitana or Cheltenham.
— Rafael Hernández (@RafaelH117) May 21, 2017

True story!

"Barcelona fans mock Ronaldo for scoring penalties. Real Madrid fans mock Messi for missing them."
— Mike Platania (@MikePlatania) May 21, 2017

Shots fired!

So Barca finish the league with just a Copa Del Rey(probably). But it's okay... coz Messi showed the back of his shirt to the Madrid crowd
— charlie runkle (@evertonianjamie) May 21, 2017

Truer words have never been spoken!

Said this 1000 times already but their depth won the league, deservedly so. We do have Messi but even that wasn't enough this year.
— Josip (@jperkovic93) May 21, 2017

Not sad, not hurt. 16/17 wasn't FC Barcelona, it was Messi FC. Congrats to Madrid, thanks to Messi for making the league interesting. Night
— Isioma | Barça Lens (@BarcaLens) May 21, 2017

OUCH!

Messi is lifting jerseys while Ronaldo is lifting trophies #HalaMadrid
— Savitar (@Em_Sanji) May 21, 2017