April 8 (UPI) — Lionel Messi scored three times in FC Barcelona’s 3-1 win against Leganes at Camp Nou in Barcelona.
The La Liga bout occurred on Saturday. Messi put in strikes in the 27th, 32nd and 87th minute. Leganes got its only score from Nabil El Zhar in the 68th minute.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner began his scoring streak off of a free kick. He eyed the strike before sending it over a wall of defenders and bending it into the near-post netting, past a diving Ivan Cuellar.
Messi used his sensational ball handling ability to net his second tally just five minutes later. Philippe Coutinho threaded a touch into Messi finding him in the box during the play. Messi used an insanely soft touch to stop the ball, before putting it into the net, despite being surrounded by defenders.
Nabil El Zhar’s strike made the game closer, before Messi settled things.
Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele found the star striker in the middle of the box with a bounced pass. Messi settled the feed before going in toward net and place it just past Cuellar for his third goal.
Barcelona battles Roma at 2:45 p.m. Tuesday in the first leg of its Champions League quarterfinal matchup at Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
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