[Archive 2016-01-10] Messi scores hat-trick as Barça become table toppers

Historical archive — originally published 2016-01-10. This report records what was known on that date. It is not current news; subsequent events may have changed the situation. Wikinews closed in May 2026.

Yesterday, FC Barcelona collected three points defeating Granada-based football club Granada CF 4–0 at Camp Nou in Barcelona in a La Liga match and became league leaders again.

Barcelona had greater ball possession. The match saw five yellow cards. Four away players and Aleix Vidal of Barcelona were yellow carded. More than thirty fouls were committed in the match. Lionel Messi scored the first goal of the match in the 8th minute, assisted by debutant Arda Turan. Minutes later, Uruguayan Luis Suárez assisted Messi and he netted the second goal in the 14th minute. Rubén Rochina was the first player to be booked in the 29th minute. First half ended in 2–0 with one yellow card shown.

In the second half Edgar Méndez and David Lombán of Granada were booked in 56th and 57th minute. In the next minute, Sergi Roberto assisted Brazilian Neymar whose try to net a goal was saved, but the ball deflected and Messi scored the third goal of the match, completing his hat-trick.

Dória was yellow carded at the 60th minute. Three minuted later, Aleix Vidal was yellow carded for a bad foul. Neymar, in the 83rd minute, scored the fourth goal of the match assisted by Suárez.

Also yesterday Zinedine Zidane, recently appointed Real Madrid's new manager, secured a 5–0 win against Deportivo with Welsh winger Gareth Bale scoring a hat-trick as well.

Source and licence

Text adapted from Messi scores hat-trick as Barça become table toppers by Wikinews contributors under CC BY 2.5. Paragraphs have been selected and abridged, and formatting adjusted. Contributor history.