Leo Messi appeared to save the day for Barcelona yet again, scoring a hat trick in the Cules’ 4-1 win over Celta Vigo on Saturday night at the Camp Nou.
Barcelona often looked sluggish against Celta in the Sky Blues’ debut under new head coach Oscar Garcia, but any problems that the team might have had were erased by a brilliant performance from the all-time great.
Messi scored his first goal on a penalty after Barcelona was awarded a penalty after a handball by Celta defender Joseph Aidoo in the box.
Celta briefly tied the game after a beautifully-taken free-kick by Lucas Olaza knotted the score at 1 in the 41st minute of the game, soon before halftime.
This, however, was when Messi upped the ante and decided to take over.
Not to be outdone, Messi scored a picture-perfect free-kick goal to put his team up 2-1 just before the final whistle of the first half blew.
It didn’t take long for him to score yet another free-kick goal to give him his hat trick, as he beat Celta keeper Ruben Blanco with another perfect strike in the 48th minute to increase Barcelona’s lead to 3-1.
Sergio Busquets scored his first goal in nearly two-and-a-half years to move the scoreboard to 4-1, where it would end as the final whistle blew.
Messi proved once again that he is a unique, one-of-a-kind footballer with few, if any peers, in yet another majestic performance on Saturday.
