Magical Messi leads Barca over Levante

BARCELONA, Spain (AP):

Lionel Messi scored a hattrick and set up two more goals to lead Barcelona to a 5-0 victory at Levante yesterday, restoring the defending champions' three-point lead of the Spanish league.

Messi netted his 18th, 19th and 20th goals in all competitions this season, after setting up Luis Suarez to get Barcelona rolling at the Ciutat de Valencia Stadium.

Already trailing 4-0, Levante lost Erick Cabaco in the 76th minute with a direct red card for cutting down Ousmane Dembele.

Messi then set up Gerard Pique to complete the demolition.

It was Messi's second treble of the season, adding to his three goals against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League in September.

The Argentina forward leads the Spanish league with 14 goals through 16 rounds. He scored two goals - both from free kicks - in last round's 4-0 win at Espanyol.

Barcelona stayed three points ahead of second-place Sevilla, which beat Girona 2-0 earlier yesterday, and third-place Atletico Madrid. Real Madrid are five points off the pace in fourth place.