Messi Hat Trick Helps Barcelona to 16th Straight Win in La Liga (video highlights)

Barcelona 3-0 Atletico Madrid

1-0 Messi 17'
2-0 Messi 28'
3-0 Messi 79'

Messi struck a hat-trick as Barcelona made history by winning a 16th successive Spanish League match to beat the previous mark of 15 in a row set by the great 1960-61 Real Madrid team of Alfredo Di Stefano.
Messi scored all the goals in the 3-0 win over Atletico Madrid at Camp Nou as the defending champions opened up a ten-point lead over Real Madrid, who face Real Sociedad on Sunday. Atletico came to the Camp Nou on the back of two defeats and they never looked confident about the task ahead and set their stall out to defend deeply.

This only invited Argentinian magician Messi, who waltzed through the defence to give Barcelona the lead in the 17th minute and, after wasting a further chance, he pounced again in the 28th minute. Atletico came out of their shell at the start of the second half but it was Barcelona who had the cutting edge with Messi scoring again from close range 11 minutes from time.

Real Madrid now face the huge task of clawing back the points difference. "We are all working in the same direction and we are relaxed ahead of the game," said Real coach Jose Mourinho. "Real Sociedad are a dangerous team who come without fear of relegation. They are a stable side and we have to respect them."

 

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