Maradona's advice turned Messi into free-kick maestro LaLiga - Barcelona Conversation took place in national team training

Barcelona took a huge step towards the LaLiga title with a 1-0 victory over Atletico Madrid on Sunday and Lionel Messi's free kick was the difference, yet it was a piece of advice from Diego Maradona which turned him into a set-piece maestro.

Messi's strike against Los Colchoneros marked his third successive LaLiga match in which he's scored from a free-kick.

It takes a lot to beat a goalkeeper of Jan Oblak's size and ability yet the Argentine international seemed to do so with ease, with a goal worthy of taking all three points.

Yet, it hasn't always been this way, Messi only started to hone his dead-ball craft after a piece of advice from Maradona, Fernando Signorini was the national team's fitness coach at the time and remembers the exchange.

"I started walking to where Diego was, and at the same moment I see Messi place the ball down," he explained in an interview with LaSexta.

"He takes three shots and misses all three and turned to us with a look of clear frustration.

"He turns towards the dressing room and I shout 'no' before hugging him and telling him that the best player in the world can't leave a training session like that."

It was at this moment when the knowledge of a former World Cup winner changed the nature of Messi's arsenal.

"Diego arrives and they talk to each other, the world seems to stop at that moment," he intimated.

"He places the ball in the same place and then gives some very paternal words.

"He told him not to take his foot off the ball so quickly when he takes a free kick."

Ever since he's been taught this technique, Messi has added so many goals to his tally from dead-ball situations, Oblak being the latest witness of the magic and he certainly won't be the last.