Messi bags hat-trick as Barca equal La Liga unbeaten record

Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - FC Barcelona vs Leganes - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - April 7, 2018 Barcelona's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Albert Gea

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Barcelona forward Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Leganes on Saturday which took the Catalans 12 points clear at the top of La Liga and also meant they equalled a Spanish top-flight record of 38 games without defeat.

Messi curled in from a free kick to break the deadlock in the 27th minute. Five minutes later the Argentine doubled the lead, taking one touch to control a through ball from Philippe Coutinho before delivering a cool low finish.