Three hundred league games and three goals to celebrate – Leo Messi marked a landmark appearance by scoring the treble that sunk Levante and moved Barcelona back to to within a point of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.
In those 300 league matches the 27-year-old Argentine has now scored 269 La Liga goals. It was also the 23rd time he had scored three in one game drawing him level with Cristiano Ronaldo as the player with the most hat-tricks in the domestic competition.
The Argentine was the star once again but Luis Suarez's over-head volley was the goal of the game. He climbed off the bench in the second half to complete the perfect afternoon for Barcelona. Neymar also scored and with Manchester City just 10 days away Barça have top form winning their last 11 games.
They started strongly with Sergio Busquets playing in Pedro but the winger failed to finish. Levante had their first chance when David Barral shot on five minutes but it was largely one-way traffic from then on in with Barcelona failing to take their chances at first. Messi and Ivan Rakitic both went close before finally Neymar put the home side ahead with one of the strangest goals he has scored so far this season.
Messi crossed from the right and the Brazilian miss-hit his volley but as he sliced it the Levante keeper Diego Mariño was caught off his line and it sailed over his head and into the back of the net.
It was yet another Messi assist for Neymar who is even scoring them this season when he fails to catch them cleanly.
Neymar started the second half brightly but he just failed to convert Pedro's cross and was too unselfish when through on goal playing his pass just behind Messi instead of finishing himself. He found Messi again moments later after a mazy run across the face of the penalty area. The Argentine played in Pedro but he failed to beat the keeper.
Pedro turned provider on the hour when found by Busquets and he crossed for Messi to get his second of the game and Barça's third.
The hat-trick came when Neymar went down the right and was brought down by Ivan Lopez in the area. This time there was no handing over the baton to Neymar. After the Brazilian's missed midweek spot-kick penalty-taking duties were handed back to Messi and he sent Mariño the wrong way to make it 4-0.
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