Lionel Messi scored four times as Barcelona ran riot against Eibar in a 6-1 win that padded their lead atop the La Liga standings on Tuesday.
The fotball legend opened the scoring for Barca from the penalty spot after Alejandro Galvez barreled over Nelson Semedo in the area and the referee pointed to the spot.
Messi nearly made it two on the night minutes later, forcing Eibar goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic into a diving save from his curling left-footed shot from the top of the box.
Paulinho jumped highest to reach a Denis Suarez corner kick and send a glancing header past Dmitrovic to put Barcelona up 2-0 before the break.
And Suarez added to Barca’s lead soon after the break, slotting home from close range after Dmitrovic had saved a Messi shot coming on the counter-attack.
Eibar gave themeselves hope a few minutes later against the run of play, Sergi Enrich doing well to slot home a pinpoint cross from David Junca to make it 3-1.
Messi however restored the three-goal lead, going past three men at the top of the penalty area and calmly despatching a left-footed strike into the back of the Eibar net.
The beating was well and truly on for Barca by now and Messi completed his hat trick just past the hour mark, chipping the ball past Dmitrovic with the outside of his foot as two Eibar defender pullled him down.
Messi did not fail to add his fourth — for the sixth time in his career — as full-time approached, deftly redirecting a Aleix Vidal pass into the back of the net to cap his third multi-goal game for Barca in just five tries this season.
Barcelona will now ready for a Saturday trip to Girona in their next match.
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