Leeds [UK]: Barcelona manager Quique Setien hailed "best player in the world" Lionel Messi saying that the Argentine's contribution to the team is not limited to just scoring goals.
La Liga returned to action after a long hiatus and during Barcelona's first game after the resumption, Messi scored one and set up two more goals, helping his side clinch a 4-0 win against Mallorca.
Messi nodded on a ball for Braithwaite to get his first goal since joining Barcelona mid-season and double the second-minute opener by Vidal. The 32-year-old assisted Alba before he scored on his own in stoppage time
The Argentine forward was as quick and dominant as ever despite not having played a match since early March. He showed no signs of being slowed down by the right leg muscle pain he suffered last week that put his return in doubt. He darted past defenders with ease.
Interestingly, Messi needs just two more goals to reach a combined 700 for club and country.
"Leo is fine. You don't only have to assess the goals he scored, but also the rest of his contributions, like assisting. That gives us a lot of points," a website quoted Setien as saying.
"It's an astronomical number. I think he's reached 700 goals and that's why he's the best player in the world," he added.
Barcelona currently top the La Liga table with 61 points, two points ahead of the second-placed club Real Madrid.
Barcelona will next compete against Leganes on June 17.
