“Against Deportivo with the game still goalless, Messi darts onto a right‑wing cross and guides a precise header inside the far post, breaking the deadlock and setting up his hat-trick as career goal 425 and La Liga strike 260.”
Messi hits a ruthless La Liga hat-trick against Deportivo, turning 0.94 xG into three goals and underlining his total dominance over an opponent he now has 9 goals against in 9 meetings.
Against Málaga with the game still goalless, Messi darts onto Adriano’s looping cross and steers a precise header inside the far post, starting a hat-trick night and bringing up La Liga goal number 139.
Pedro’s early cross from the right finds Messi darting across the near post, and his glancing header inside the far corner breaks the deadlock to start a hat-trick night and bring up career goal 125.
Retaking the lead at 1–1, Messi darts onto Pedro’s late cross and guides a close-range header inside the far post, his second of the night and La Liga goal number 63.
Dani Alves hangs a precise cross to the far post and Messi darts between defenders to nod it back across goal into the corner, a rare headed finish that pushes Barcelona 3–0 up en route to his 449th career strike.