Messi scores hat-trick, become Barca’s all-time leading scorer

Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick to become Barcelona’s all-time leading scorer on 234 goals in a 5-3 win over Granada Tuesday which moved the champions to within five points of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.

It wasBarca’s sixth consecutive league win and puts pressure on Madrid ahead of their trip to Villarreal Wednesday, three days afterJose Mourinho’s side dropped two points in a 1-1 draw at home to Malaga.

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiolapraised the record-breaking Argentinian.

‘We have to congratulate Messi, he has scored so many goals and is only 24, he does not just score ordinary goals but great goals and we hope he gets lots more for us, we can compare him perhaps to Michael Jordan in football,’ he said.

Xavi Hernandez and Messi hit the net for Barcelona in the first half before Diego Mainz reduced arrears for the Andalusians on 55 minutes.

In doing so, Messi equalled the record of 232 goals held by club legend Cesar Rodriguez.

Guilherme Siqueiralevelled from the spot for the away side seven minutes later afterDani Alvespulled downDani Benitez, raising the prospect of a possible upset.

However those fears lasted only minutes as Messi produced a trademark chip over Granada’s Brazilian ‘keeper Julio Cesar in the 67th minute to put Barcelona 3-2 ahead.

Cristian Tello then drove the ball into the net after Messi’s shot was parried by Cesar to make it 4-2 for the hosts, and Messi followed up with another fine piece of individual skill to make it 5-2 in the 86th minute.

Dani Alves received a second yellow card on 88 minutes for handling the ball in the area and Siqueira scored from the spot again, moments before the final whistle.

Previously, Cesar was believed to have scored 235 goals for Barcelona, but a study had revealed that the 1950’s striker had in fact scored 232 goals—a statistic confirmed earlier on Tuesday on Barca’s website.

However the second-half failed to continue in the same vein and chances were scarce as both teams seemed content to record a third sucessive 0-0 draw in this fixture.

• Football