Messi scores 3rd hat trick in 4 games in Barca win

Lionel Messi. AP Photo

LONDON — With his third hat trick in four games, Lionel Messi reached yet another scoring milestone for Barcelona on Sunday.

The Argentina star passed the 400-goal mark for his club with three goals in its 5-1 comeback victory over derby rival Espanyol, keeping Barcelona second in the Spanish league.

Messi matched Cristiano Ronaldo’s three-goal performance in Real Madrid’s win on Saturday to ensure Barcelona stayed within two points of its fierce rival at the top of the table. In the past two weeks, Messi has also scored hat tricks against Sevilla in the league and APOEL in the Champions League.

Sergio Garcia put Espanyol in front in the 13th minute in a good first half for the visitors, but Messi curled home the equalizer in injury time before the break to change the flow of the game.

Messi fired in his second in the 50th and added a third after Gerard Pique and substitute Pedro Rodriguez had scored in a second half dominated by Barcelona.

“Messi is a football legend,” said Espanyol coach Sergio Gonzalez.

Already Barcelona’s all-time top scorer, Messi’s goals were his 400th, 401st and 402nd goals for the club, including friendlies. They took his league tally for this season to 13 goals, far behind Ronaldo’s runaway total of 23.

Carlos Bacca scored early to help secure Sevilla’s 1-0 win at Rayo Vallecano as the Andalusian side tightened its hold on fourth place.

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