Barcelona vs. Osasuna: Final score 5-1, Messi scores four times in rout

David Ramos

Lionel Messi was his usual amazing self scoring four times as Barcelona hammered relegation threatened Osasuna at the Camp Nou

Lionel Messi had another one of those ridiculously amazing days at the office, scoring four goals (including his 200th in La Liga) as Barcelona rolled past Osasuna 5-1. Messi upped his goal total in the league this season to 33 and only needs 17 more goals in the next 17 games to match his 50 goal total from last season.

Barcelona got started early in the 11th minute when Xavi provided ones of his trademark beautiful passes to Messi in the Osasuna box. The Argentine went right around Osasuna goalkeeper Andrés Fernández and put Barca in the lead 1-0.

Osasuna answered back though, finding an eqaulizer in the 23rd minute. A clearance attempt by the Barcelona defense fell to Raoul Loe on the edge of the box and he fired a low shot past Victor Valdés in the bottom left corner of the goal.

Osasuna's joy and a dream of a shocking result lasted all of five minutes.

Defender Javi Arribas committed a handball in the box and was shown his second yellow card leaving Osasuna with 10 men for the rest of the match. Messi stepped up and buried the penalty putting Barca back in front 2-1. Pedro scored five minutes before the halftime break and the rout was on.

Messi completed his hat-trick in the 56th minute making a great run on to the end of a pass from David Villa on the left side. Messi once again danced around Fernández and put the ball in the empty net.

Two minutes later Messi added a fourth goal. Villa started the play again with a pass to Adriano in the Osasuna box and the defender wasted no time putting the ball across the face of goal to Messi who poked it in to the net.