Both teams were down to 10 men in the last game of what has been a marathon season when Messi played the pass of the night – dropping the ball 25 yards behind the Sevilla defence and into the path of Jordi Alba who let it bounce once before sending it just inside Sergio Rico’s far post.
It was 25 to minutes before midnight and somehow Barcelona – having played much of the game with 10 men after having Javier Mascherano sent off and losing Luis Suarez in tears in the second half to a hamstring tear – had won the Copa del Rey.
There were many heroes. Andres Iniesta was supreme throughout, Gerard Pique had been immense after Mascherano’s first-half sending off, and Neymar had come to life in the absence of Suarez and scored a second with almost the last kick of the game. But it was Messi who had the last word on another wonderful season.
There were players in Sevilla’s ranks who deserved winners’ medals too. Keeper Rico was one of those saving brilliantly at the end from Dani Alves' shot. They had nothing left to give when full-time was blown in the early hours of Monday morning local time.
Both these teams came into the game having won important trophies but from the first-half displays it seemed that whereas Sevilla’s Europa League win over Liverpool had topped the tank up for them, Barça were back running on empty.
Very little came off for Luis Enrique’s side in the first 45 minutes with Neymar the biggest culprit, under-hitting one pass to Alba and then over-hitting another one straight out of play.
Iniesta was switched on from the start, pinpointing every pass and his lofted ball to Suarez sat perfectly for the Uruguayan striker but he shot into the side netting.
Sevilla had only had four days to recover from their Europa League final against Liverpool but winning takes less out of a team than losing and they were full of running with Coke firing wide from Vitolo’s driving run and cross.
There were seven minutes left of the first half when Barcelona were reduced to 10 men. The Argentine took a fistful of Kevin Gameiro’s Sevilla shirt and dragged him to ground as the Frenchman burst through. It was a tired challenge and, judged the last man, it meant his night was over.
Gameiro had done his best to extend his fall into the area but the free-kick was given outside and Ever Banega forced a fine save from Marc-Andre ter-Stegen with the kick.
There was no immediate change from Enrique but Jeremy Mathieu came on at the start of the second half to play alongside Gerard Pique leaving Messi to drop back into midfield and support Sergio Busquets and Iniesta.
Sevilla started the second half strongly with Banega hitting the post from the edge of area as they kicked into the end where their own supporters were starting to sense they could do the cup double. They believed even more on 53 minutes when Suarez pulled up holding the back of his thigh and signaled to be changed.
No one has given more for the Barca cause this season, no one had played more minutes, or scored more but stuck on 59 goals his season was over. He will now hope that the Copa America is not over for him too. His tears on the bench suggested that it may well be.
Down to 10 and now without Suarez's running it must have felt like they were playing with nine despite Rafinha’s introduction but with Pique throwing himself in front of shots there was always hope. He slid in brilliantly on Gameiro as the Frenchman went through on goal and kept Barca in it.
If they could hold out at one end then perhaps Messi could muster something at the other end. When Vitolo conceded a free-kick in Messi range the Sevilla supporters gave his shot straight into Rico’s arms one of the biggest cheers of the night. It was a massive relief.
Strangely they had not taken their chance to finish Barcelona off and were now struggling to make the extra man tell. The man advantage was about to be lost too.
First Neymar was unfairly booked for a dive after Banega clearly tripped him. The next time it happened the referee got it right with Banega sent off. Both sides would have to face extra time with 10 men.
It was a different game now – one which Barcelona would win. From Messi's superb assist Alba got his first goal of the season to win the cup and right on 120 minutes Neymar got the second.
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