With Lionel Messi as a three-time goal-taker and Cesc Fabregas as a three-time goal-maker, 10-man Barcelona outlasted Deportivo La Coruna in a wild 5-4 shootout in the Spanish league on Saturday.
Fabregas set up Jordi Alba's opener before Cristian Tello and Messi both followed suit as Barcelona roared to 3-0 just 18 minutes in at Riazor Stadium.
But some dubious officiating saw Javier Mascherano sent off in the 49th, and the visitors needed Messi's 15th overall goal in a superb individual effort 13 minutes from time to stay unbeaten and secure the victory over a resilient Deportivo side.
``It was a crazy game in every way,'' said Fabregas. ``We are happy to get the three points after a long international week. We take away our good first half, but those four goals show we have room to improve.''
The entertaining victory kept Barcelona eight points ahead of Real Madrid after Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 15th goal in all competitions to help the defending champions labor to a 2-0 win over Celta Vigo.
Less taxed by its rival than Barcelona, Madrid can focus on its highly anticipated Champions League visit to German titleholder Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday. Barcelona hosts Celtic a day earlier.
Messi leads the Spanish league with 11 goals. Ronaldo is right behind with nine. Radamel Falcao can add to his tally of eight on Sunday as second-place Atletico Madrid seeks a win at Real Sociedad to stay level on points with Barcelona.
Barcelona was a whirlwind at the start, playing unquestionably its best football of the campaign.
Fabregas met Jordi Alba's run down the left side for the back to get Barcelona rolling three minutes in, and Tello rifled between goalkeeper Daniel Aranzubia's legs to double the lead five minutes later.
Fabregas then laid off a back-heeled pass for Messi to rip over Aranzubia in the 18th as Barcelona looked destined to rout, or at least have an easy time the rest of the way.
But Deportivo rallied with a little help from the referee, who whistled Mascherano for a questionable foul of Ivan ``Riki'' Sanchez on the edge of the box.
Forward Luis ``Pizzi'' Afonso stroked in the resulting free kick in the 26th. Eleven minutes later Alejandro Bergantinos blasted a shot through the hands of goalkeeper Victor Valdes to make it 3-2 and ignite the crowd.
``We played well and got up 3-0, but then after their penalty and second goal it turned complicated for us,'' Fabregas said.
Messi and Fabregas teamed up to put Barcelona back in front by two goals when Fabregas slipped the ball through the defense for Messi to slot into the far side of the net two minutes before halftime.
Barcelona appeared to have regained control, but that quickly changed in the 47th when Pizzi curled a free kick past Valdes, who got a touch on the ball but not enough to keep it out.
Barcelona was reduced to 10 men moments later when the referee booked Mascherano a second time for hitting Riki's face with his arm.
With Deportivo pressing for the equalizer, Messi decided the match with a pure display of his unique talent, resisting a tackle near the center line before charging forward and finding the angle to shoot around two defenders and the goalie to grab his hat trick.
Fittingly for such an up-and-down contest, Alba scored an absurd own goal in the 79th, flipping the ball over Valdes in a horribly flubbed attempt to clear, and Barcelona had to resist until the end to get the three points.
Earlier at the Santiago Bernabeu, Ronaldo scored from the penalty spot in the 67th after Gonzalo Higuain opened for the hosts in the 11th with a lofted shot from well outside the area.
Celta's Gustavo Cabral barged into the back of Mesut Oezil as the German streaked through the area to set up Ronaldo's penalty.
Elsewhere, Malaga stayed within touch of the Spanish leaders after Joaquin Sanchez scored in a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Real Valladolid as the Costa del Sol club warmed up for its Champions League match against AC Milan with another victory.
Valencia, meanwhile, scored twice in the final three minutes to beat 10-man Athletic Bilbao 3-2 ahead of its Champions League trip to Minsk to face BATE Borisov on Tuesday. (AP)
<관련 한글 기사>
메시 ‘원맨쇼’! 10명 뛴 바르샤 '진땀승'
'축구 천재' 리오넬 메시가 해트트릭을 터뜨리며 소속팀 바르셀로나를 위기에서 구했다.
메시는 21일(한국시간) 스페인 갈리시아 코루냐의 리아소르 경기장에서 열린 데 포르티보 라 코르냐와의 2012-2013 스페인 프로축구 프리메라리가 정규리그 8라운드 에서 전반 18분부터 후반 32분까지 혼자 3골을 몰아쳐 팀의 5-4 '진땀승'을 이끌었다.
이날 이번 시즌 자신의 첫 해트트릭을 달성한 메시는 11골로 경쟁자인 크리스티 아누 호날두(레알 마드리드•9골)를 제치고 단숨에 득점 선두로 올라섰다.
바르셀로나는 후반 4분 하비에르 마스체라노가 퇴장당하고, 호르디 알바가 후반 34분 자책골까지 터뜨리는 등 어수선한 분위기였지만 메시의 득점력으로 팀 승리를 지켜냈다.
바르셀로나는 전반 3분 만에 터진 알바의 선제골을 시작으로 전반 8분 크리스티 안테요의 연속골과 전반 18분 리오넬 메시의 추가골이 이어지며 손쉬운 승리를 눈 앞에 두는듯했다.
라 코루냐의 추격도 만만치 않았다.
라 코루냐는 전반 26분 마스체라노의 파울로 얻어낸 페널티킥 기회를 살려 한 골을 만회했고, 전반 37분에는 알렉스 베르간티뇨스가 추격골을 넣어 2-3으로 1골 차까지 추격했다.
하지만 바르셀로나는 전반 43분 세스크 파브레가스의 패스를 받은 메시의 결승골이 터져 점수를 벌렸다.
바르셀로나는 후반 3분 포르투갈 출신의 공격수 피지에게 프리킥골을 얻어맞았 만, 후반 32분 메시가 해트트릭을 완성하면서 5-3으로 다시 간격을 벌렸다.
바르셀로나는 후반 34분 선제골의 주인공인 알바가 자책골을 내줘 잠시 흔들렸지만 상대의 거센 반격을 잘 막아내 5-4 승리를 완성, 이번 시즌 8경기 연속 무패 행진(7승1무)을 이어갔다.
