Messi magic leads to 4-2 win for Barcelona

Madrid: Lionel Messi's second hat trick in eight days took his season tally to 34 goals as Barcelona won 4-2 at Zaragoza on Sunday to remain second in the Spanish league behind Real Madrid.

The Argentina forward, who also hit a hat trick last weekend against Valencia, now has a league-leading 25 goals after tormenting Zaragoza's defense with a combination of close dribbling, strength and accurate finishing.

"He's the best player in the history of football," Barcelona president Joan Laporta said.

Messi headed home Pedro Rodriguez's cross in the fifth minute, but it was his 66th-minute strike that will be added to his lengthening list of great goals.

He stole possession near halfway, bursting past one player before his quick feet left defender Matteo Contini on the turf. Contini could only clutch at his opponent's shorts as Messi beat goalkeeper Roberto Jimenez with a low shot that brought a standing ovation from most fans at La Romareda stadium.

"I don't know if that second goal is the nicest I've ever scored, it all happened so fast," Messi said. "The team takes credit for the goals, I was lucky to score them."

Messi followed that up with a curling shot in the 78th to beat Jimenez and claim his fifth career hat trick.

"To describe Messi, I've run out of adjectives," Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola said.

Zaragoza's Adrian Colunga took advantage of defensive lapses to score twice in the closing moments. But Messi's dazzling skills led Contini to drag him down for a 90th-minute penalty that Zlatan Ibrahimovic converted for his first goal in March.

Madrid and Barcelona both have 68 points, but Madrid leads on goal difference.

Mallorca moved into the Spanish league's Champions League places with a 4-1 victory over Atletico Madrid, while David Silva guided third-place Valencia to a 2-0 win over Almeria.

Valencia has 50 points, Mallorca 46, Sevilla 44 and Athletic Bilbao and Deportivo La Coruna both have 42.

Also, Racing Santander came from behind to win 3-1 at Osasuna and Nabil Baha scored two second-half goals as Malaga beat Villarreal 2-0.

Missing injured midfielder Xavi Hernandez and with Andres Iniesta on the bench, Barcelona still enjoyed the best first-half chances — Ibrahimovic headed a clear chance wide in the 30th and struggled on his return to the starting lineup.

Ibrahimovic then shot wide from two clear chances with only Jimenez to beat. Soon after, Colunga scored twice on the break.

But Messi again drove into the area, eluding several players, before Contini dragged him down for the penalty.

"He needs goals after this tough streak he's been on," Messi said of the penalty from Ibrahimovic, who hadn't scored in the league since Feb. 14.

At Mestalla stadium, Almeria held out until the 63rd minute when Silva steered a precise ball into the box for Juanma Mata, who sent his shot inside the near post.

Silva showed his athleticism in the 70th as the Spain international was tripped up inside the box after reaching David Villa's pass, but still managed to swipe a shot from the ground past goalkeeper Diego Alves and inside the far post.

Atletico's defense was dormant for much its game, including when Victor Casadesus slotted past goalkeeper David De Gea on his second attempt in the 10th minute.

De Gea saved twice from Aduritz and then Casadesus before Atletico equalized in the 26th, Diego Forlan running in to redirect Jose Manuel Jurado's short cross home. It was the Uruguay striker's 13th goal this season.

Aritz Aduritz put the hosts ahead again two minutes later by heading past De Gea after Atletico had failed to clear the ball.

Atletico, which was without suspended striker Sergio Aguero, was reduced to 10 men in the 56th when Raul Garcia picked up a second yellow card.

Luis Perea added to Atletico's pitiful performance by sweeping a shotin the goal from a corner in the 86th. Felipe Mattioni completed the rout by spectacularly volleying Julio Alvarez's cross into the top corner.

"We fell apart in all aspects — in the fundamentals, the play, the dead ball situations, in all facets of the game," Atletico coach Quique Sanchez Flores was quoted as saying. "We didn't have an answer from the first minute — so it's normal to lose."

At Pamplona, Miguel Flano headed Osasuna ahead in the 32nd before Gonzalo Colsa equalized three minutes later by latching on to a ball just outside the area to rifle home.

Racing led through Christian Fernandez's header in the 51st, and teammate Papakouly Diop ensured victory with a goal in the 89th.

It was Racing's first win in nearly two months and took the team seven points clear of the drop zone, as is Malaga.

In Saturday's games, it was: Real Madrid 3, Sporting Gijon 1; Xerez 2, Tenerife 1; Deportivo La Coruna 0, Valladolid 2; Athletic Bilbao 2, Getafe 2 and Espanyol 2, Sevilla 0.