FCBARCELONA.CAT

21.03.2010 23:48

Hat-trick of hat tricks

Anna Segura

Messi scored his third hat trick of the season and his fifth ever for Barca on Sunday to reinforce his position as leader of the Spanish League goal scorers and boost his chances of taking the Golden Boot as Europe’s leading scorer.

Once again, Messi was the star of the show as the 22 year old Argentinean racked up his second successive hat trick and put on a performance worthy of a player many are talking about as maybe the best ever.

Fifth of his career

This was Messi’s third hat trick of the season following the three goals he scored in Tenerife and last week’s against Valencia, adding to the one he inflicted on Real Madrid in the 2006/07 season and last year’s against Atletico Madrid in the Vicente Calderon.

Top of goal scoring table

Messi now leads Madrid ‘s Higuain in the goal scoring table by a clear 5 goals, with 25 against Higuain’s 20 and is also closing in on Wayne Rooney in the race for the Golden Boot with 25 goals and 50 points, against the United striker’s 26 and 52 points.

11 out of last 15

Messi has hit a rich vein of goals during his last few games, notching up 11 of the team’s last 15 goals since the Malaga game and averaging more than a goal a game. Messi has also beaten last year’s total, when he scored 23 all season - and there’s still 11 games to go!