Match ends, Barcelona 4, Celta de Vigo 1.
BarcelonaBarcelona4Celta VigoCelta Vigo1
Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick, including two sublime free-kicks, as champions Barcelona returned to winning ways against Celta Vigo in La Liga.
Messi opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Junior Firpo's cross struck defender Joseph Aidoo's arm.
Lucas Olaza equalised for the visitors with an excellent free-kick, but Messi put the hosts back in front with a similar attempt four minutes later.
Messi stepped up again after half-time, before Sergio Busquets added a fourth.
Real Madrid had earlier defeated Eibar 4-0 to move first in the table, but this result sees Barcelona reclaim top spot on goal difference.
Celta Vigo, playing their first game under new manager Óscar Garcia, started brightly as they looked to test a Barcelona side condemned to a shock 3-1 defeat by Levante last weekend.
Their early hard work was undone by Aidoo's handball, and there was nothing goalkeeper Rubén Blanco could do as Messi's inch-perfect free-kicks either side of the interval wrestled the game away from the visitors.
The match was already over as a contest when Busquets swept home his side's fourth with five minutes remaining.
It leaves Barcelona and Real Madrid tied on 25 points as the El Clasico showdown on 18 December draws near.
Line-ups
Barcelona
Formation 4-3-3
- 1ter Stegen
- 2Nélson SemedoSubstituted forBusquetsat 23'minutesBooked at 88mins
- 3Piqué
- 23UmtitiBooked at 25mins
- 24Firpo
- 21F de Jong
- 20RobertoBooked at 52mins
- 8Arthur
- 10MessiBooked at 40mins
- 17GriezmannSubstituted forSuárezat 73'minutes
- 31Ansu FatiSubstituted forDembéléat 45'minutes
Substitutes
- 4Rakitic
- 5Busquets
- 9Suárez
- 11Dembélé
- 13Neto
- 15Lenglet
- 22Vidal
Celta Vigo
Formation 5-3-2
- 13Blanco
- 2Mallo
- 18Aidoo
- 4Araújo
- 15Olaza
- 17Juncà
- 14LobotkaSubstituted forD Suárezat 76'minutes
- 8BeltránBooked at 45mins
- 24Diop GueyeSubstituted forFernándezat 81'minutes
- 10Iago Aspas
- 11SistoSubstituted forMéndezat 64'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Álvarez
- 3Costas
- 5Yokuslu
- 6D Suárez
- 16Sáenz
- 19Fernández
- 23Méndez
- Referee:
- Guillermo Cuadra Fernández
- Attendance:
- 69,626
Match Stats
Home TeamBarcelonaAway TeamCelta Vigo
- Possession
- Home61%
- Away39%
- Shots
- Home10
- Away6
- Shots on Target
- Home7
- Away5
- Corners
- Home2
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home18
- Away14
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Barcelona 4, Celta de Vigo 1.
Post update
Corner, Celta de Vigo. Conceded by Marc-André ter Stegen.
Post update
Attempt saved. Lucas Olaza (Celta de Vigo) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Booking
Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Sergio Busquets (Barcelona).
Post update
Brais Méndez (Celta de Vigo) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Goal!
Goal! Barcelona 4, Celta de Vigo 1. Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner.
Post update
Corner, Celta de Vigo. Conceded by Sergio Busquets.
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Offside, Celta de Vigo. Fran Beltrán tries a through ball, but Gabriel Fernández is caught offside.
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Foul by Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona).
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Brais Méndez (Celta de Vigo) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt missed. Luis Suárez (Barcelona) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Ousmane Dembélé.
Substitution
Substitution, Celta de Vigo. Gabriel Fernández replaces Pape Cheikh.
Post update
Foul by Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona).
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Iago Aspas (Celta de Vigo) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Celta de Vigo. Denis Suárez replaces Stanislav Lobotka.
Post update
Arthur (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Pape Cheikh (Celta de Vigo).
Post update
Offside, Barcelona. Lionel Messi tries a through ball, but Ousmane Dembélé is caught offside.