BARCELONA (AP) ― Lionel Messi scored a hat trick to emphatically break the Spanish league’s all-time scoring mark in Barcelona’s 5-1 win over Sevilla on Saturday.
Messi, already Barcelona’s all-time scorer, surpassed Athletic Bilbao great Telmo Zarra’s milestone of 251 goals that had stood untouched since 1955.
Messi equaled Zarra’s mark in the 21st minute and added goals in the 72nd and 78th to claim the record for himself.
“I have never seen a player like Leo,” Barcelona coach Luis Enrique said. “He is beyond comparison, one of a kind, never to be seen again. We are lucky to have him here, to enjoy him, and to see where he leaves this record.”
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Leverkusen’s Son Heung-min applauds the fans on Saturday. (AFP-Yonhap) |
Messi’s record-setting effort eclipsed rival Cristiano Ronaldo becoming the first player to reach 20 goals in the first 12 rounds of a season after he scored twice to keep Real Madrid at the top of the table with a 4-0 win at Eibar.
Madrid leads Barcelona by two points with Atletico Madrid four points adrift after the defending champion beat 10-man Malaga 3-1 at home.
Also, former Manchester United coach David Moyes debuted as Real Sociedad’s new manager with a 0-0 draw at Deportivo La Coruna. Both sides were left one point above the relegation zone.
Messi’s treble came after a week of wild speculation that he was wavering on his once steadfast commitment to Barcelona, following his comments that he might not spend most of his remaining career here.
But the match ended with Messi smiling broadly as his fans chanted his name. Messi’s teammates tossed him in the air after his record-breaking goal, and lined up in an honor guard as he jogged off the pitch while soaking up the Camp Nou applause.
Messi’s night started when he earned a foul from Sevilla’s Ever Banega on the edge of the area. Messi stepped up and curled the ball over the barrier with an elegant strike to claim the history-making goal he had searched for in vain in three previous matches.
Sevilla had yet to manage a shot on goal when Unai Emery’s side was gifted an equalizer from Jordi Alba two minutes after halftime when he knocked in a cross.
Sevilla’s celebration didn’t last long because Neymar headed Barcelona back in front two minutes later when he rose up to score Xavi Hernandez’s free kick for his 11th league goal of the campaign.
Barcelona’s Luis Suarez has been scoreless since his return from his biting ban, but he made up for it by making his fourth assist for Ivan Rakitic to score against his former team in the 65th.
Neymar crossed for Messi to dive and tap home his second goal. Messi then dribbled across the edge of the area to fire in his third and complete his memorable match.
England
Manchester United inflicted Arsenal’s first Premier League home loss in 15 months on Saturday in a 2-1 victory that propelled the fallen power into the top four for the first time under Louis van Gaal after a faltering start.
After failing to score during its first-half supremacy, Arsenal capitulated with defender Kieran Gibbs scoring an own goal and Wayne Rooney netting for United. Olivier Giroud’s goal was too late to prevent United winning away in the league for the first time this season, sending Arsenal tumbling to eighth in its worst start for 32 years.
“Defensively, we were a bit naive,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said.
Chelsea, though, maintained its firm grip on top spot with a serene 2-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion secured by Diego Costa and Eden Hazard.
City remains eight points back in third place ― five ahead of United ― after being forced to come from behind against Swansea. Stevan Jovetic canceled out Wilfried Bony’s opener for Swansea before Yaya Toure clinched the champions’ 2-1 win in the second half.
Newcastle’s resurgence after a woeful start to the season continued with a fifth straight league win. Moussa Sissoko scored in the 1-0 victory over Queens Park Rangers which has left Newcastle fifth while the London club went bottom.
Burnley climbed off the foot of the standings by recording its first away triumph, with Danny Ings’ double claiming a 2-1 victory at Stoke. West Ham’s five-match unbeaten run ended with a 2-1 loss to Everton, while Leicester’s goalless run went beyond 500 minutes after drawing 0-0 with Sunderland.
Germany
Bastian Schweinsteiger marked his comeback from a left knee injury sustained in Germany’s World Cup final triumph by setting up Bayern Munich’s final goal in a 4-0 win over Hoffenheim.
Sebastian Rode scored for the defending champions in the 87th minute after goals from Mario Goetze, Robert Lewandowski and Arjen Robben.
After conceding four times, Hoffenheim then saw Adam Szalai sent off for a challenge on Dante.
Bayern maintained its unbeaten start to the season and stretched its lead to seven points as its closest rivals, Wolfsburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach, both lost. Wolfsburg was beaten 3-2 by Schalke, and Eintracht Frankfurt came from behind to overcome Gladbach 3-1 away.
Also, Bayer Leverkusen won 3-1 at Hannover and Freiburg drew 2-2 in Mainz.
