Hat-trick for Turan as Iniesta's return boost Barca

Barcelona, Dec 7 (IANS) Arda Turan scored a hat-trick as FC Barcelona ended the group stage of the Champions League with a comfortable 4-0 win at home to Borussia Monchengladbach.

Barca went into Tuesday evening's game at the Nou Camp here on the back of three draws following distinctly average displays and needed a good performance to raise spirits after seeing how Real Madrid scored a last minute in last Saturday's El Classico, reports Xinhua.

The game allowed Andres Iniesta his first start after injury, following 30 minutes at the weekend and the midfielder's presence clearly inspired his teammates.

Barca coach Luis Enrique used the game to rest players such as Luis Suarez and Gerard Pique, while giving minutes to fit-again duo Iniesta and Samuel Umtiti and important match time to others such as Paco Alcacer and Aleix Vidal.

The result saw Barca play with confidence on the ball as they controlled possession, although they failed to convert that control into chances until the 16th minute when Arda Turan and Messi combined for the Argentinean to score his 10th goal in the group stage.

Messi saw another chance parried by Borussia keeper Yann Sommer two minutes later, before the game returned to the same pattern with the home side controlling the game without producing the final product.

Turan scored Barca's second of the night five minutes after halftime when he headed into the near corner of the net after good work from Denis Suarez down the right wing and four minutes later he scored his second of the night as Vidal justified a rare start with a low cross which he slotted home with a diagonal shot.

He finished his hat-trick with a close range finish from a Paco Alcacar pass which left him with a simple job of putting the ball over the line.

--IANS

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