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La Liga: Lionel Messi hat-trick helps Barcelona bulldoze Espanyol 5-0 at home

| Updated: September 25, 2017 14:23:41


Messi grabbed his 38th Barca hat-trick in Espanyol rout on Saturday. - Reuters photo Messi grabbed his 38th Barca hat-trick in Espanyol rout on Saturday. - Reuters photo

Lionel Messi on Saturday scored a hat-trick to help see off Espanyol in the Catalan derby and take Barcelona top of La Liga.

 

Messi collected Ivan Rakitic's pass before curling in the opening goal and added a second from close range following Jordi Alba's pull-back.

 

The Argentina forward completed his 38th Barcelona hat-trick when he finished off from another sublime Alba cross.

 

Gerard Pique headed in from a corner before Luis Suarez converted from debutant Ousmane Dembele's low pass.

 

Dembele, the world's second most expensive footballer who joined from Borussia Dortmund for a fee that could rise to €150 million, came on as a second-half substitute.

 

Barcelona are the only team with a 100 per cent record and are yet to concede a goal, while La Liga champions Real Madrid are sixth after a 1-1 home draw against Levante earlier on Saturday.

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