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Attendance: 71,072
Barcelona logo
La Liga | Gameweek 16
Dec 7, 2019 at 8pm UK
 
Mallorca logo

5-2

Griezmann (7'), Messi (17', 41', 83'), Suarez (43')
FT(HT: 4-1)
Budimir (35', 64')

Barcelona back on top of La Liga as Messi scores 53rd career hat-trick

Lionel Messi scored his 35th La Liga hat-trick to overhaul the mark of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Lionel Messi scored the 53rd hat-trick of his astonishing career to help Barcelona crush Mallorca 5-2 at the Nou Camp to retain their place at the top of LaLiga.

Following Real Madrid's 2-0 victory over Espanyol earlier in the day to temporarily move top, the pressure was again on Barca to provide a response and they did so in emphatic fashion, with the mercurial Messi again at its heart.

Antoine Griezmann set the ball rolling after just six minutes and with almost route one football after Dani Rodriguez had missed a sitter from just six yards.

From the ensuing goal-kick, Marc-Andre ter Stegen launched the ball upfield for Griezmann to then embark on a stunning run from the halfway line before chipping the ball over goalkeeper Manolo Reina.

Griezmann then turned provider 10 minutes later, but the finish was all Messi, who had showed off his sixth Ballon d'Or to the fans before kick-off, as he curled beyond Reina from 25 yards.

Although Barca then threatened a third, it was Mallorca who gave themselves a lifeline in the 35th minute when Ante Budimir's shot took a slight deflection off Clement Lenglet beyond ter Stegen.

Barcelona, though, finished the first half with a flourish, with Messi again beating Reina from outside the area with another sublime curler six minutes later to restore the two-goal cushion.

Two minutes before the break, Barcelona made it 4-1 courtesy of an outrageous goal from Luis Suarez as, with his back to goal he somehow delivered a backheel chip over Reina from Frenkie de Jong's pass.

Mallorca at least came out fighting after the break, with Budimir heading home his and his side's second of the night in the 64th minute to cut the deficit to two.

But it was left to that man Messi to have the final say, smashing home a drive in the 83rd minute for his 35th La Liga hat-trick to move ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo's tally.

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Lionel Messi celebrates scoring for Barcelona on December 1, 2019
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Real Madrid23155351222950
2Atletico MadridAtletico23147238152349
3Barcelona23153564253948
4Athletic Bilbao23128336201644
5Villarreal23117546341240
6Rayo Vallecano239862724335
7Real Sociedad2394102020031
8GironaGirona2394103133-231
9Osasuna2371062832-431
10Mallorca2394102029-931
11Real BetisBetis237882731-429
12Celta Vigo2384113437-328
13Sevilla237792534-928
14Getafe236981817127
15Las PalmasLas Palmas2365122838-1023
16Espanyol2365122235-1323
17Leganes2358101932-1323
18Valencia2357112437-1322
19AlavesAlaves2356122535-1021
20Real ValladolidValladolid2343161548-3315


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