Lionel Messi scored a record-breaking hat-trick as Barcelona claimed a deserved win over Sevilla, with Neymar and Ivan Rakitic also on target.
Messi netted midway through the first half, his 251st goal in the Primera and his first League goal in a month, curling a free-kick into the top corner with Beto helpless.
He added a second late in the game after leading a three-on-two break, feeding Neymar and then converting from close range from Neymar’s cross-shot for the all-important 252nd League goal of his career, going past Telmo Zarra.
Messi’s third – 253rd – arrived shortly after, Messi playing a one-two with Neymar, and shooting from the edge of the penalty area.
The record-breaking goal was greeted with a rapturous response from the Camp Nou crowd and players and messages of congratulations on the electronic boards, Barca acknowledging the significance of the goal amid suggestions Messi may not be entirely happy at the club.
Sevilla levelled in the first attack after the break, Jordi Alba getting the last touch past Claudio Bravo after Vitolo made light work of the right of the Barca defence, but Xavi Hernandez’s free-kick found Neymar’s head moments later to restore Barca’s lead.
Another header made it 3-1, this time Rakitic scoring from Luis Suarez’s cross, and declining to celebrate against the side he used to captain.
Barca made six changes from the side that started the win over Almeria and named Luis Suarez and Neymar alongside Lionel Messi. Sevilla meanwhile introduced three players to the side that drew with Levante and named Denis Suarez against his parent club.
The hosts started brightly, the opening stages played entirely in the Sevilla half, but genuine chances were sparse, largely because the final ball didn’t match the tidy build-up play that came before.
Barca were though much sharper than they had been prior to the international break, the ball moving at a higher tempo and possession regained with greater immediacy. It felt inevitable a goal would come and, perhaps more inevitably, that Messi would get it.
He duly did, converting a 20-yard free-kick to once more write his name in the history books, with a goal that would surely rank highly for quality as well as importance.
Sevilla offered a threat on the break but largely the visitors’ attacks came to little, one even as Messi stole possession on the edge of the Barca penalty area.
A couple of Barca chances – both half-chances and very good ones – went begging but despite a vibrant 45 minutes behind them, it was back to square one almost immediately after the interval when Alba put into his own goal.
And moments later it was as you were with Neymar meeting Xavi’s free-kick, Beto rightly asking what happened to the Sevilla marking. Replays suggested Neymar may have pushed his way into space.
Unai Emery rang the changes on the hour, introducing Kevin Gameiro and Gerard Deulofeu, but it was Barca who added to the scoring. Suarez sprang the defence and crossed for Rakitic, whose powerful header beat Beto.
Messi established a new record with little under 20 minutes to play, spearheading a Barca break with Neymar and Suarez in support before wrapping it up himself and getting the chair from his teammates.
The hat-trick followed shortly after, the 27th of his Barca career, on a night Messi broke a record that had stood for a generation and Barca looked like their old selves.
Barcelona 5-1 Sevilla
Messi 21, 72, 78 (FCB) Alba o.g 47 (SEV), Neymar 49, Rakitic 65 (FCB)
Barcelona: Bravo; Alves, Pique, Mathieu, Alba (Adriano 81); Sergio Busquets, Rakitic, Xavi (Rafinha 77); Neymar, Messi, Suarez (Pedro 72)
Subs: Ter Stegen, Bartra, Adriano, Sergi Roberto, Rafinha, Pedro, Munir
Sevilla: Beto; Coke, Pareja, Carrico, Figueiras; Banega, Krychowiak; Vidal (Deulofeu 60), Denis (Gameiro 60), Vitolo; Bacca (Aspas 83)
Subs: Rico, Gameiro, Reyes, Aspas, Kolodziejczak, Deulofeu, Mbia
Referee: Clos Gomez
