Lionel Messi wins his first La Liga player of the month award
Lionel Messi has been rewarded for his fine play in January by being given the La Liga player of the month award.
The Argentine star, along with his partners Neymar and Luis Suarez in Barcelona's attack, helped the Catalans get four wins and a draw in January, going through the month unbeaten and consolidating their leadership of the table.
Messi scored six goals in the league, including a hat-trick against Granada, and an important strike against Atletico Madrid which could eventually help Barcelona lift the title.
The other goals came against Athletic Club and Malaga, the latter being a match-winner too.
Incredibly, despite being a five-time Ballon d'Or winner, this is the first time he has been officially crowned the league's best player in any given month.
