Messi hat-trick puts rampant Barcelona on top

Barcelona went to the top of the Spanish Liga, albeit briefly, on Saturday with a 5-0 destruction of Mallorca.Lionel Messi dispelled any possible doubts about his form by banging in a handsome hat-trick in the first 30 minutes.Unbeaten Barca now have 24 points from 10 games, one point more than surprise package Levante, who are away to Osasuna on Sunday. Real Madrid are currently two points below Barca but will go top - at least until the Levante match - if they win at Real Sociedad in Saturday's late game.Barca coach Pep Guardiola decided to rest playmakers Xavi and Andres Iniesta. One man who did not want to rest, however, was Messi, so keen was he to score after three games firing blanks.The little Argentine made it 1-0 with a high penalty in the 14th minute, after a clear handball by Mallorca's Emilio Nsue. Nine minutes later Messi added a second goal with a right-foot volley, after Adriano had mis-hit a centre from Isaac Cuenca.In the 30th minute Messi completed his hat-trick by volleying in a perfect long centre from Dani Alves. The FIFA World Player is now top of the scorers' chart with 13 goals.In the 51st minute Thiago set up fellow youngster Isaac Cuenca to make it 4-0, with his first goal for Barca. Guardiola then delighted the Camp Nou by bringing on, for his debut, yet another promising tyro in 17 year-old winger Gerard Deulofeu.Alves completed the fiesta in stoppage time by making it 5-0 with an impudent, astonishing long-range drive, which went in off the crossbar at the near post.Earlier on Saturday, Valencia had moved up to fourth with a 3-1 home defeat of lowly Getafe.French youngster Sophiane Feghouli, making a rare start in the Valencia midfield, delighted Mestalla with two first-half goals.Diego Castro pulled a goal back for Getafe, but supersub Aritz Aduriz secured the three points for the hosts by making it 3-1, 14 minutes from time.Valencia have 21 points, four more than fifth-placed Sevilla.Valencia coach Unai Emery said: "This is the first time this season that we have won by more than one goal, and of course I am very pleased. Now we have to continue down this path, with the same concentration."In Saturday's other early game, Villarreal put their poor form and injuries behind them to beat Rayo Vallecano 2-0 at home, with goals from international midfielders Bruno Soriano and Borja Valero.It was Villarreal's first win in six games and lifts them above the danger zone into 13th place, at the same time as relieving the pressure on embattled coach Juan Carlos Garrido.