Tried to copy Messi, LeBron, says Griezmann after Barca double

Barcelona's Antoine Griezmann celebrates scoring against Real Betis on Sunday. Pic/AFP

Madrid: Antoine Griezmann copied Lionel Messi for the goal and LeBron James for the celebration, but it was his night for Barcelona on Sunday after he scored twice in a 5-2 win over Real Betis.

Griezmann imitated the basketball superstar by tossing confetti into the air to celebrate his second at Camp Nou, a curling effort into the corner that he said was inspired by watching Messi. "I saw Leo do this in training, so I tried to copy him," said Griezmann. "And for the celebration, I like the ritual that LeBron did so we tried to do it as well."

Yet Griezmann was the star, if only for the night with Messi in the stands, the Argentine still short of fitness following a calf injury.

A brilliant Barcelona performance also delivered a resounding response to the doubts arising from their defeat by Athletic Bilbao last weekend, among them a reliance on Messi, the need for Neymar and the future of Ernesto Valverde as coach.

But goals from Carles Perez, Jordi Alba and Arturo Vidal saw the gloom disappear, along with Nabil Fekir's opener for Betis.

Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid maintained their perfect start with another 1-0 victory on Sunday, this time over Leganes as Vitolo came off the bench to score a second-half winner at Butarque.

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