Mesmerising!
Messi gives set-piece masterclass as Barca crush Celta
BARCELONA: Lionel Messi scored two exquisite free kicks as he netted his first hattrick of the season in a 4-1 win over Celta Vigo at the Nou Camp which took Barcelona back to the top of La Liga after a difficult week.
Barca’s captain coolly converted a penalty to put the champions ahead in the 23rd minute but gave away a foul in a dangerous area which led to Lucas Olaza levelling for Celta with an outstanding strike from a free kick in the 42nd.
But Messi restored Barca’s lead right before half-time with a stunning freekick of his own, curling the ball into the top corner.
He conjured up an almost identical strike at the start of the second half to complete his treble and match Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 34 hat-tricks in Spain’s top flight.
Sergio Busquets struck a fourth goal in the 85th to round off a first win for Barca in three games, after falling to a shock 3-1 defeat at Levante last week in La Liga and drawing 0-0 at home to Slavia Prague in the Champions League.
“We have a very big advantage, we have the best player in the world on our side who is also the best at taking free kicks,” said Busquets in praise of Messi.
“Little by little he has been improving at free-kicks, he used to find them hard. Having him around gives us a real boost.”
Barca lead the standings on 25 points after 12 games, level with second-placed Real Madrid who eased to a 4-0 win at Eibar.
Real got the job done early again, scoring three goals in the first 30 minutes.
The victory came three days after Real took a three-goal lead by the 14th minute of a 6-0 rout of Galatasaray in the group stage of the Champions League.
It was one of the best games of the season for Real, who were up 2-0 after goals by Karim Benzema in the 17th and Sergio Ramos in the 20th. Benzema added another in the 29th and Federico Valverde also netted in the 61st.