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La Liga | Gameweek 25
Feb 23, 2019 at 3.15pm UK
 
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2-4

Navas (22'), Mercado (42')
FT(HT: 2-1)
Messi (26', 67', 85'), Suarez (90')

Messi puts team success first after notching 50th career hat-trick

:Headline: Messi puts team success first after notching 50th career hat-trick: ID:351307: from db_amp
The Argentina star struck three times as Barcelona toppled Sevilla 4-2 to move 10 points clear at the top of LaLiga.

Lionel Messi typically played down his latest hat-trick heroics after the 50th treble of his career helped Barcelona twice come from behind to beat Sevilla 4-2.

Barca moved 10 points clear at the top of LaLiga as Messi's goalscoring love affair with Sevilla continued at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium.

The Argentina star has now scored more goals against Sevilla than any other team – 36 in 35 matches, including what is now three hat-tricks.

"I'm happy to contribute to the result here today and the three points, that's the most important thing, that we've got our advantage still over our rivals," Messi told Barca's website.

Sevilla took the lead twice in the first half through Jesus Navas and Gabriel Mercado, either side of a Messi volley.

Messi equalised for the second time with a curler from the edge of the box and chipped home keeper Tomas Vaclik for number three before Luis Suarez wrapped up the scoring.

"It was really important to win here today because of what it means, because of the opponents, and because of how the league is," added Messi.

"It was important to maintain the advantage we had over the teams chasing us and take on what's coming.

"We are relaxed in that sense, we know we've got quality players, we know the goals will come, we know we can get back to playing our kind of football.

"I think we haven't been at our best in the last few matches but we want to play good football, creating chances and scoring goals.

"We knew how difficult it was going to be here. Sevilla got themselves ahead, they're a great team. We knew that could happen.

Lionel Messi completes his 50th career hat-trick as Barcelona fight back to beat Sevilla (Miguel Morenatti/AP)

"We were prepared for a tough game. We had to overcome them and we had to turn the result around."

Sevilla have won just one of their last nine matches but boss Pablo Machin told the club website: "We put in an amazing performance in the first half but then our momentum was stopped by forced changes.

"We had to change the system. They were on top in the second half."

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1Barcelona13110240122833
2Real Madrid1283125111427
3Atletico MadridAtletico137511971226
4Villarreal127322319424
5Osasuna136341720-321
6Athletic Bilbao135531913620
7Real BetisBetis135531412220
8Real Sociedad135351110118
9Mallorca135351010018
10GironaGirona135351617-118
11Celta Vigo135262022-217
12Rayo Vallecano124441313016
13Sevilla134361218-615
14Leganes133551316-314
15Getafe142751011-113
16AlavesAlaves134181422-813
17Las PalmasLas Palmas133371622-612
18Espanyol123181122-1110
19Real ValladolidValladolid142391027-179
20Valencia11146817-97
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