Mali international Seydou Keita scored a first ever hat-trick as champions Barcelona got back to their best, crushing Real Zaragoza 6-1 at the Camp Nou on Sunday to move three points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table.
Barca had experienced a blip with a Champions League home defeat to Rubin Kazan in midweek, but responded with a soccer masterclass to punish Real’s 0-0 draw at Sporting Gijon on Saturday.
Keita scored a memorable hat-trick (24, 41 and 86 minutes) to take his season’s tally to five, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice and also had two goals ruled out for offside.
“Doubts? I don’t think we had any doubts to be honest,” Keita said. “We showed today that we are a great team and go out to win. On a personal level, I am happy with my first hat-trick, although I am not really a goal-scorer.”
Ibrahimovic joins Valencia’s David Villa at the top of the scoring charts on seven goals, while Lionel Messi has six goals after scoring a fine chip.
Barca were three goals up after a destructive first half, but that was not enough as they tore Zaragoza to shreds in the second half and it could have been double figures.
On 24 minutes, Barca made the breakthrough with Messi showing quick thinking from a corner to clip a ball in and Keita got in front of his man to score with a diving header.
Five minutes later, Ibrahimovic thundered in a ferocious free-kick from 25m, although goalkeeper Juan Carrizo will be disappointed.
Barca scored a third on 41 minutes with Xavi producing a sublime pass to release Ibrahimovic and the Swede crossed for Keita to smash home his fourth goal of the season, crashing into the back of the net as he did so.
In a spot of role reversal Keita turned provider for Ibrahimovic, zipping in a low cross which the Swede deftly flicked in off his boot on 56 minutes.
Messi produced a cheeky chip in the 80th minute and Keita completed his hat-trick four minutes from time as Zaragoza prayed for the final whistle.
Earlier, Spanish international Villa returned with a bang, scoring his seventh goal of the season as Valencia defeated 10-man Almeria 3-0 to move into the top four.
Villa missed the 0-0 draw with Barcelona because of a thigh injury, but started against Almeria and headed in on 54 minutes, before Pablo Hernandez scored a sensational 35m chip and Juan Mata completed the scoring.
Almeria’s cause was not helped by the dismissal of goalkeeper Diego Alves after an hour for fouling Pablo.
Valencia supplant Deportivo La Coruna in fourth on goal difference, with Sevilla just a point ahead in third place in the standings.
“This was an important game for us and three points that could make the difference between Champions League football at the end of the season,” Valencia coach Unai Emery said.
Deportivo La Coruna saw a four-game winning run come to an end in emphatic fashion, crashing to a 4-0 defeat at Valladolid.
“Nobody in the dressing room is talking about the Champions League,” Depor coach Miguel Lotina said.
Earlier, Villarreal finally recorded their first win of the season with a first goal from Brazilian club record signing Nilmar and a free-kick from Spanish international Joan Capdevilla sealing a much-needed 2-1 home win over Malaga.
“Perhaps we sat a bit too far back, but the points were too important and we couldn’t slip up,” coach Ernesto Valverde said. “It was our first win and you always hope a good run can start from here.”
It was Valverde’s first league win since taking over in the summer and lifts the club off the foot of the table, with Malaga replacing them.
Nilmar arrived at Villarreal with a big reputation and his 11 million euros (US$16.5 million) fee made him the most expensive player in the club’s history.
It had been a slow start for the Brazilian forward, but in the 27th minute he got his first goal in Villarreal’s colors.
Malaga responded close to halftime through Albert Luque, but Capdevila’s free-kick on 54 minutes restored Villarreal’s lead and for once they held on.
Spanish La Liga
Team | P | GD | PTS | |
1 | Barcelona | 8 | 19 | 22 |
2 | Real Madrid | 8 | 15 | 19 |
3 | Sevilla | 8 | 9 | 16 |
4 | Valencia | 8 | 6 | 15 |
5 | Deportivo La Coruna | 8 | 1 | 15 |
6 | Real Mallorca | 8 | 6 | 14 |
7 | Sporting Gijon | 8 | 1 | 12 |
8 | Getafe | 8 | 0 | 12 |
9 | Espanyol | 8 | -1 | 12 |
10 | Osasuna | 8 | 1 | 11 |
11 | Athletic Bilbao | 8 | -5 | 10 |
12 | Almeria | 8 | -3 | 9 |
13 | Tenerife | 8 | -7 | 9 |
14 | Valladolid | 8 | -3 | 8 |
15 | Real Zaragoza | 8 | -6 | 8 |
16 | Racing Santander | 8 | -6 | 7 |
17 | Atletico Madrid | 8 | -8 | 7 |
18 | Villarreal | 8 | -4 | 6 |
19 | Xerez | 8 | -11 | 5 |
20 | Malaga | 8 | -4 | 4 |
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