Messi Landmark Hat-Trick Helps Barca Down Levante

Lionel Messi scored his 23rd La Liga hat-trick as Barcelona thrashed Levante to keep title hopes alive on Sunday.

Neymar and Luis Suarez were also on target as Messi reached hat-trick landmark on his 300th La Liga appearance for Barca.

Neymar grabbed the opening goal few minutes after a quarter of an hour, when the ball spun in off his foot. Messi needed less than half an hour to round off his hat-trick before Uruguayan Suarez grabbed the talking point of the game with his acrobatic volley.

Suarez Completed Barca's 5-0 Rout of Levante with This Scissors-Kick. Image: Getty.
Suarez Completed Barca’s 5-0 Rout of Levante with This Scissors-Kick. Image: Getty.

Barcelona, who have now won their last 11 games in all competitions, trail leaders Real Madrid by just a point after the Los Blancos’ 2-0 win at home to Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday.

Neymar was fortunate with his opener, connecting with a Messi delivery and the ball spun up in the air before dropping over the line.

The Argentine superstar then latched on to a Marc Batra pass before drilling home to double the Catalans’ advantage. Messi tapped in after Pedro Rodriguez brilliantly diverted Sergio Busquet’s chipped ball into his path to increase Barca’s lead in the 59th minute. The four-time Fifa Ballon d’Or winner completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after Ivan Lopez had bundled over Neymar in the box.

Messi has now scored 26 league goals this season and ties Telmo Zarra’s record for most hat tricks in Spanish Primera Division history having notched his 31st in the victory at the Camp Nou. He has also leveled Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for most hat-tricks in the La Liga history (23).

Lionel Telmo Zarra's record for most hat tricks in Spanish Primera Division (31). Image: Getty.
Lionel Telmo Zarra’s record for most hat tricks in Spanish Primera Division (31). Image: Getty.

Suarez came on for Brazilian Neymar and nonetheless grabbed the highlight of the day. The ex-Liverpool striker scored his 5th goal of the season with an exhilarating scissors-kick volley off Adriano’s cross from the left.