Highlights: Lionel Messi hat-trick takes Barcelona to 4-0 victory over Deportivo La Coruna
Lionel Messi scored the 30th hat-trick of his Barcelona career as Barcelona rode on their talisman’s performance to secure a 4-0 victory away at Deportivo La Coruna’s Estadio Riazor, and move into second place one point behind La Liga leaders Real Madrid.
Messi scored the first goal with a looping header in the 10th minute, slotted in a Neymar pass over the keeper’s head for his second in the 33rd minute, and grabbed his third with a low shot in the 62nd minute. Ivan Rakitic was the initiator of the moves that resulted in Messi’s first and third.
An own-goal in the 83rd minute, coming about after a clearance bounced off a helpless Sidnei da Silva Junior, further stretched the Blaugrana lead and compunded Deportivo’s misery on the night.
It was a commanding performance by the Catalan club, who had 68% possession and 14 attempts at goal on the night, and it was a surprise that Messi was the only player on the scoresheet, who has now scored six of his side's last eight league goals. Going by the numbers, the off-pitch speculations surrounding him has not affected his game much.
Lionel Messi's hat-trick was his 22nd in La Liga, the same number as Alfredo Di Stefano and Telmo Zarra. Real's Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 23 La Liga hat-tricks.