Spanish La Liga: Messi hattrick fires Barca, Real sink Mallorca

MADRID: Lionel Messi kept Barcelona on top of La Liga with a hattrick in a 5-0 win at Tenerife on Sunday and Real Madrid kept up the pressure with a 2-0 home win over Real Mallorca.

Champions Barca, two points clear of Real with 43 from 17 games, had goalkeeper Victor Valdes to thank for setting up their first win of the year.

Valdes saved three one-on-ones in the early stages - the first deflected on to the crossbar - before Barca found any kind of rhythm in the face of frenetic pressuring from their hosts.