Lionel Messi scored four goals as Barcelona eased to a 5-0 victory at home to Eibar on Saturday.
Barcelona had come into this match on the back of a difficult week following reports the club had hired a company to discredit various players and personalities connected to the club on social media in order to protect president Josep Maria Bartomeu.
While the club denied these allegations, sources have told ESPN the club have suspended Bartomeu’s adviser, Jaume Masferrer.
However, on the pitch, all was well as Messi showed his class with a stunning opener on 14 minutes as he bamboozled three defenders before showing incredible balance to dink the ball over onrushing goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic.
Messi added a second on 37 minutes when he ran onto Arturo Vidal’s pass to smash the ball across Dmitrovic and into the far corner.
He completed his hat trick on 40 minutes as he took advantage of some lax defending. The Argentina forward attempted to tee up strike partner Antoine Griezmann, but the ball found its way back to Messi, who coolly slotted home.
New signing Martin Braithwaite came on for his debut with late on and had a hand in the fourth as his effort was saved into Messi’s path, but the 32-year-old still took the opportunity to sit Dmitrovic down before passing into an empty net three minutes from time.
Artur added a fifth on 89 minutes as Barca returned to the top of the table.
