European roundup: Messi hits hat-trick for Barcelona; Bayern Munich win

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• Argentinian scores three as Barcelona beat Sevilla 4-2
• Bayern go level on points with Borussia Dortmund

Lionel Messi scored his 50th career hat-trick to fire Barcelona to a 4-2 win at Sevilla on Saturday after the champions had twice fallen behind, giving the Catalans a 10-point lead at the top of La Liga. Sevilla, who have only won once in the league in 2019, took the lead midway through the first half through veteran winger Jesús Navas but were soon pegged back by an unstoppable volley from Messi.

The home side capitalised on sleepy defending from Barcelona to retake the lead before halftime as Gabriel Mercado pounced in the area. Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde made two attacking changes at the start of the second period, introducing Ousmane Dembélé and Sergi Roberto, and got the intended reaction when the France winger laid the ball off to Messi just inside the area and the Argentinian lashed it into the top corner.

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from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/feb/23/european-roundup-lionel-messi-barcelona-javi-martinez-bayern-munich

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