Barcelona coach Luis Enrique said Lionel Messi had shone as part of a superb team performance after the Argentine had a hand in all five of his side's goals in Sunday night's thrilling 5-2 La Liga win at Athletic Bilbao.
Athletic went toe-to-toe during a hectic 90 minutes at the new San Mames, but an inspired Messi was unstoppable as the blaugrana side moved to within one point of stumbling La Liga leaders Real Madrid.
Messi scored the first, and was heavily involved each time as Luis Suarez, Neymar, Pedro Rodriguez and an Oscar De Marcos own-goal all found the Athletic net. The home side hit back with goals from Mikel Rico and Aritz Aduriz, but were well beaten in the end and finished with ten after Xabier Etxeita was red carded for a studs-up challenge on Suarez's knee.
The Barca boss told his post-match news conference that his team was playing so well at the moment due to their collective spirit.
"It is a great privilege to have a player like Messi," Luis Enrique said. "But the recognition is for all the team, when they reach a level like today. To create so many chances, know how to suffer, you must congratulate the team. One is stronger when you aim for objectives in a global manner, as the team is doing now."
For a third consecutive game Barca conceded two goals, but each time quickly hit back to run out deserved winners in the end, and Luis Enrique said his team had known how best to take on the tough test posed by Athletic's high-pressing approach.
"The team responds and fronts up when faced with problems, trying to score goals," he said. "We look for an ideal game always, but things can happen in the game. When a team presses you like Athletic, and knowing our potential up front, when the team has spaces to attack into, I like to make chances. But that means you still have to run when you do not score, to have good defensive control. We can be a more direct team at some moments, but we also need to know how to control games, and we are comfortable on the ball. Games can be won in different ways."
Asked if the momentum in the title race had now clearly swung Barca's way, given leaders Madrid's recent struggles including Saturday's 0-4 reverse at Atletico Madrid, Luis Enrique said all teams would have ups and downs over the course of the campaign.
"Over a season, this season, for all teams there are better and worse moments," he said. "We have to wait until 38 games are played, the last day maybe like last year. It is not a moment to stick our chests out. We are still second, although closer now. We must be ready to keep improving, which will be key over the season."
Since early January's mini-crisis, when Barca lost 1-0 at Real Sociedad days after a training-ground row between Luis Enrique and Messi, the team have responded with nine straight wins in all competitions, with 32 goals scored and just seven conceded.
Asked what had changed in Barca's game since that dip in form, Luis Enrique said the idea of a big turnaround was just a media construct.
"That was invented by you [reporters], there has been no turnaround," he said. "This is the same Barca since day one, although the circumstances can change. The players are not machines. We all make mistakes, me first of all. There is no magic keyboard that we have managed to change. I would like to always be at our best, but that cannot be."
