Lionel Messi stellar in Barcelona win as Luis Suarez nets hat trick

Published on: 24 February 2018

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Lionel Messi gave another masterful performance and Luis Suarez scored a hat trick to lead Barcelona to a new club record after routing Girona 6-1 in La Liga on Saturday.

Messi took his competition-leading tally to 22 goals as Barcelona increased their lead atop the table to 10 points ahead of second-place Atletico Madrid's visit to Sevilla on Sunday.

Barcelona broke their club milestone for the longest unbeaten run in La Liga that had stood at 31 games since the 2010-11 season under former coach Pep Guardiola.

The win over Girona was Barcelona's 32nd-league game without a loss after going undefeated through all 25 rounds this season under Ernesto Valverde, plus the last seven from the last campaign under Luis Enrique. Real Sociedad set the league record of 38 games without a loss in 1980.

Barcelona actually fell behind when Portu struck in the third minute for Girona. He caught Samuel Umtiti being far too complacent when he raced in from behind to reach a ball near Barcelona's box. Portu's strike from an angle hit both posts before settling into the net.

But two minutes later, Messi threaded a pass to Suarez to equalise, then danced around two defenders to give Barcelona the lead on the half-hour mark.

Messi added another goal six minutes later with a superbly struck free kick that he sent low under the players in the defensive barrier when they jumped, anticipating he would try to shoot over them.

Philippe Coutinho had his moment to shine after Suarez's second goal when he curled home a brilliant strike from outside the area to make it 5-1 in the 66th minute.

Suarez completed his treble 10 minutes later when he tapped in a cross by Ousmane Dembele.

Suarez, who also hit the post early in the second half, netted his 18th, 19th and 20th goals in the league, a total surpassed by only Messi.

Barcelona right back Nelson Semedo appeared to injury his left leg late in the match when he needed to be attended by team doctors.

Girona fell into ninth place. The Catalan club has impressed in their debut season in the first division, and lost only once in the six games prior to Saturday.

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