Lionel Messi scored three goals in 11 minutes as Barcelona thumped Rayo Vallecano to climb top of La Liga for the first time this season.
The four-time Fifa Ballon d’Or winner is now the all-time leader in trebles in Spanish football, surpassing Telmo Zarra and now leads Cristiano Ronaldo by 5.
Luis Suarez needed five minutes to send his delightful flick past Cristian Alvarez in goal for Rayo.
Lionel Messi Scores Hat-Trick as Barca Beat Rayo to Go Top of La Liga. Image: Getty.
Gerard Pique doubled the Catalan giants’ advantage early into the second half, finishing off a loose ball after Javier Mascherano headed against the far post.
Rayo were reduced to ten men ten minutes after the restart as full-back Tito received his second yellow card for hacking down Suarez in the area.
Messi converted the resultant penalty on the second asking after the referee whistled for a repeat.
The Argentine forward poked in a rebound of Suarez’s shot 9 minutes later and then rounded off his 32nd hat-trick with another fine display of his quick feet in the visitors goal area.
Dani Alves received a straight red for bringing down Alberto Bueno, who stepped up to convert from the spot, but Suarez hammered in Barca’s sixth from Messi assist to seal an emphatic display.
The red hot Uruguayan has now scored ten goals in 15 games in all competition in 2015 with a total of 13 since completing his biting ban.
The win saw Barca overtake Real Madrid at the top of the standings on 62 points, one point ahead of Carlo Ancelotti’s side after their defeat at Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.
More to follow…
The four-time Fifa Ballon d’Or winner is now the all-time leader in trebles in Spanish football, surpassing Telmo Zarra and now leads Cristiano Ronaldo by 5.
Luis Suarez needed five minutes to send his delightful flick past Cristian Alvarez in goal for Rayo.
Lionel Messi Scores Hat-Trick as Barca Beat Rayo to Go Top of La Liga. Image: Getty.
Gerard Pique doubled the Catalan giants’ advantage early into the second half, finishing off a loose ball after Javier Mascherano headed against the far post.
Rayo were reduced to ten men ten minutes after the restart as full-back Tito received his second yellow card for hacking down Suarez in the area.
Messi converted the resultant penalty on the second asking after the referee whistled for a repeat.
The Argentine forward poked in a rebound of Suarez’s shot 9 minutes later and then rounded off his 32nd hat-trick with another fine display of his quick feet in the visitors goal area.
Dani Alves received a straight red for bringing down Alberto Bueno, who stepped up to convert from the spot, but Suarez hammered in Barca’s sixth from Messi assist to seal an emphatic display.
The red hot Uruguayan has now scored ten goals in 15 games in all competition in 2015 with a total of 13 since completing his biting ban.
The win saw Barca overtake Real Madrid at the top of the standings on 62 points, one point ahead of Carlo Ancelotti’s side after their defeat at Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.
More to follow…
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