Lionel Messi breaks Telmo Zarra record as Barça smash sorry Sevilla
Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick and broke Telmo Zarra's long-standing record to move to the top of the la Liga history books as Barcelona swept Sevilla aside 5-1.
A pinpoint free-kick from the Argentine had opened the scoring in the first half, but it took an own goal from Jordi Alba to really rally Barca. Neymar scored almost instantly and Ivan Rakitic ensured the three points soon after with a header from a Luis Suarez cross.
Then Messi took centre stage, scoring his second and third goals of the night to move on to 253 Primera Division goals, Zarra now two back on 251.
It was impossible to know where to focus your attention before the match. Gerard Pique returned to the starting lineup after three games in the abyss, Lionel Messi was chasing Zarra's record and Suarez was still chasing his first Barca goal.
Denis Suarez and Gerard Deulofeu were returning to Camp Nou in Sevilla colours, granted permission to play by their parent club, and Ivan Rakitic was facing the side he led to Europa League glory last season.
And to top all that off, a win for Unai Emery's Sevilla would have taken the Andalusians above the Catalans in the league table.
That said, Emery had never won as a manager at Barca's home and Luis Enrique's side had questions to answer: Were defeats against Real Madrid and Celta Vigo, plus the scrappy win at Almeria, signs of the season to come? Or were they merely a blip in what is ultimately a long campaign?
Barca started on top, but they weren't commanding the game like they have been known to. Messi should have had a free-kick on the edge of the box and he had the game's first shot moments later, firing into Beto's chest.
Xavi couldn't quite send Suarez clear and Neymar saw an effort well blocked. But then Messi got his free-kick. His goal and his record followed with one swing of his left leg. Well placed just outside the box, there's an air of expectancy when the Argentine places the ball in these areas and he didn't disappoint here.
Beautifully whipped beyond Beto, it was his 251st goal in the top flight, drawing him level with Zarra.
Suarez then passed when he could have shot and was later denied on the line by Daniel Carrico after a fine Messi pass had sent Jordi Alba scuttling away down the left. Moments after the break, Barca would be made to pay for their missed chances.
Vitolo found room for the cross, Denis Suarez impeded Claudio Bravo's vision and the ball ricocheted off Alba into his own net. Sevilla wouldn't be level for long, though, and Emery would soon have that losing feeling that he so often experiences at Camp Nou come flooding back.
Neymar headed home Xavi's free-kick less than 120 seconds after Alba had scored in the wrong goal; 20 minutes later, Rakitic, after dragging wide just before, headed home against his former club to put the result beyond doubt. The Croatian's goal was all about the assist, though, which came from Luis Suarez.
Taking his time to weigh up his options, he delivered a perfect cross to the far post which Rakitic couldn't miss. It's now four assists in four games for the Uruguayan, but he's still waiting for his first goal in blaugrana. That will come, of course, but the night was about to take a turn in Messi's favour.
Zarra's record had been waiting for weeks, but it would wait no more. His goal in the first half had drawn him level as joint top scorer in la Liga's history and when Neymar squared to him with 15 minutes to go he took the outright lead. Lionel Messi: 252 goals.
His teammate's gave him the bumps and his name rang around the ground. History had been made. Not one to rest on his laurels, though, Messi was soon on target again, collecting the ball on the edge of the area and effortlessly caressing the ball into the back of the net for the third time in the game: 253 goals.
