MADRID: Lionel Messi (pic) scored his 21st hattrick for Barcelona as the 10-man Primera Liga leaders scrambled an astonishing 5-4 win at Deportivo La Coruna this morning, reported Eurosport.

Barce winded the newly promoted team with three goals in the opening 18 minutes as Deportivo were left chasing shadows at a packed Estadio Riazor.

Jordi Alba raced onto Cesc Fabregas's pass on three minutes to give Barca the lead before Christian Tello accepted a lovely pass from Messi to drive a shot through the legs of Deportivo goalkeeper Daniel Aranzubía four minutes later.

Barca seemed to be out of sight when Messi buried the ball high into the net to put his side three goals clear in the 18th minute.

But Deportivo mounted a rousing recovery aided by some slipshod defending.

Pizzi converted a penalty in the 26th minute after Javier Mascherano brought down Riki.

Alex Bergantiños then struck a shot at goal from the edge of the box in the 37th minute that somehow crept under the body of the shoddy goalkeeper Victor Valdes.

Deportivo were suddenly right back in the match, but Messi quelled the home side's fans when he darted onto a ball from Fabregas to bury the ball into the corner of the net two minutes before the break.

Deportivo were not finished as Pizzi sent a wonderful freekick crashing high into the corner of the net in the 47th minute.

And their hopes were further boosted when Mascherano was sent off moments later for a second yellow card even though he seemed to make minimal contact competing for a loose ball with Riki.

Messi had saw a freekick crash off a post in the second half, but there was no stopping the little Argentine as he darted from just inside the home half to the edge of the box before sending a shot spinning into the corner of the net to hand Barca a 5-3 advantage in the 77th minute.

But Deportivo set up a nervy finish when Alba scored an own goal in the 79th minute in trying to clear the ball.

Deportivo sent their keeper up for a corner in the closing moments, but could not find the equalizer.
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Barca have 22 points from eight games with nearest rivals Atletico Madrid - three points behind - visiting Real Sociedad today..

The last time that Barca won a league game conceding four goals was in 1963 against Levante. This was a close run thing.

- mD

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