Messi’s hattrick as Barca beat Espanyol 5-0

BARCELONA: Leo Messi scored a hattrick as Barcelona continued their 100 per cent start to the new Liga Santander football season with a 5-0 win at home over local rivals Espanyol.

It may have been tough for Barca off the pitch with failed signings, but Messi turned on the style in the Camp Nou to put his side 2-0 up by halftime against a rival who will point out that his opening goal came from a marginally offside position on Saturday, reports Xinhua news agency.

Luis Suarez had a couple of good chances saved by Pau in the Espanyol goal, but Messi assured the points remained in the Camp Nou when he rounded off his hat-trick in the 67th minute.

Barca coach Ernesto Valverde brought record signing Ousmane Dembele into the game directly after the goal, but it was Gerard Pique who scored Barca’s fourth of the game with a powerful header five minutes from time.

Dembele then announced his arrival with a low cross to tee up Suarez for Barca’s fifth to round off a perfect night for Barca fans.

While there were celebrations in the Camp Nou, Madrid dropped four points behind Barca as they surprisingly let two other points escape them in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium after being held to a 1-1 draw by Levante in a midday kick off. DUBAI: India’s left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja has lost his top spot after sliding a place to be at the second position in the ICC Test bowlers rankings, released on Sunday.

Jadeja’s teammate Ravichandran Ashwin, meanwhile, retained his third spot in the table, which is now headed by England pacer James Anderson.

Anderson has climbed to the top of the chart, owing to his superb effort in the third and final Test at Lord’s, which England won by nine wickets to seal the series 2-1 over the West Indies.

In the batsmen’s list, Cheteshwar Pujara continues to be the top-ranked Indian cricketer at No. 4, followed by captain Virat Kohli at No.6.

Both KL Rahul and Ajinkya Rahane climbed up the ladder by a place each to be at ninth and 10th positions, respectively.

Australia’s Steve Smith continues to be the No. 1 batsman in the rankings chart.

In the all-rounders table, spin duo Jadeja and Ashwin have retained their second and third places respectively.