Deportivo la Coruna 0-4 Barcelona: 5 talking points
Lionel Messi celebrates with his team-mates Rakitic, Neymar and Luis Suarez as he opens the scoring against RC Deportivo Lionel Messi struck yet another hat-trick as Barcelona romped to a 4-0 victory over a hapless Deportivo side, to remain on the heels of league leaders Real Madrid.The twinkle-toed Argentine broke the deadlock after just 11 minutes on the clock with a superb header, latching onto an exquisite cross from Ivan Rakitic and doubled the visitors’ advantage shortly before the half time with a neat chip-in. Messi then rounded off his scoring for the night right after the hour mark when he lobbed a curling effort into the far post. However, Deportivo centre-back Sidnei Rechel inadvertently put the ball into his own net, 7 minutes from time and put the final nail in the coffin as the Catalans emerged outright winners.Another victory, another 3 points for Barca and here are the 5 talking points from the game.
#1 Messi returns to his brilliant best
The man of the night was none other than the hat-trick hero Lionel Messi, who was at his scintillating best right from the off.
Having deployed to the left wing with Suarez as the central forward, the Argentine starlet seemed to be highly comfy in that role and it took him only 11 minutes to find the net. Messi marauded in the box to head home an exquisite deep cross by Rakitic and doubled his tally 20 minutes later when he controlled the ball after Neymar’s neat footwork and nonchalantly dinked the ball over Deportivo custodian Fabricio, into the back of the net.
The 27-year old later rounded off his treble midway in the second half when he met a cross from Rakitic’s corner and unleashed a ferocious drive to swing the ball into the bottom corner.
This was Messi’s 22nd league hat-trick and 30th overall.