Lionel Messi scores picture-perfect free kick against Espanyol (Video)

Do you know what a perfect free kick looks like?

We do.

Because his Messi-ness Lionel, King of Catalonia and all of Soccer, delivered one on Wednesday in the second Catalan Derby this week. Barcelona's 4-1 win in the first leg of the Copa del Rey's round of 16 was the canvas for his latest masterpiece. Messi's second of the game put Barca ahead after Felipe Caicedo had given the visitors a lead after a lovely counter by Marco Asensio.

[ Barcelona vs. Espanyol | Copa del Rey scoreboard ]

Watch that for as long as you need to. It's perfect. The spin. The speed. The ricochet off the underside of the bar, making it absolutely impossible for Pau Lopez to save it. In fact, look carefully and Messi seems to have used the wall to mask his free kick so well that he could actually put his delivery behind the sprawling Lopez.

Disgracefully, Lopez would later try to avenge his honor by stamping on Messi's ankle. That incited an ugly turn as the game grew pushy and shovey, slowing things down like in these teams' 0-0 league stalemate on Saturday.

But Barca and Messi would make more pretty things. Late on, Neymar, who had also come under frequent assault from Espanyol's overmatched players, picked the ball up by the back line. He moved away from goal, laid off to Messi and got the ball back on a magical dink. That's when the Brazilian smacked the ball into the low, far corner with the outside of his boot.

That goal was also a bit perfect.

Leander Schaerlaeckens is a soccer columnist for Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter @LeanderAlphabet.