Lionel Messi sinks Racing Santander

Lionel Messi sinks Racing Santander

Lionel Messi scored twice as Barcelona moved back to the top of the Primera Division with a resounding 4-1 victory at Racing Santander.

Pep Guardiola's side stormed into a three-goal lead in a devastating spell midway through the first half.

Summer signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic opened the scoring after 20 minutes, and has now scored in all of Barca's four league games this season.

Messi added a second goal four minutes later, before Gerard Pique made it 3-0 with less than half an hour gone.

Messi completed his double with a stunning strike just after the hour, in what was the Argentina winger's last contribution before being replaced by Andres Iniesta.

Oscar Serrano then pulled a goal back for Racing with a fine solo effort.

But there was never any hint of a comeback and Barcelona sent out a new statement of intent by returning to the top of the table ahead of fierce rivals Real Madrid's game at Villarreal on Wednesday night.

Barcelona produced a sumptuous exhibition of attacking football to thrash Atletico Madrid 5-2 at the Nou Camp on Saturday night and seal a third successive league win in a row.

But Guardiola surprisingly claimed afterwards that his side had not been in control of that match and asked his players for more ahead of this encounter.

They threatened from the outset in this game and the first real opportunity came after eight minutes, when Ibrahimovic teed up Messi, but the Argentina forward hesitated instead of shooting first time and the chance was lost.

Then, after 20 minutes, the two combined again to give Barca the lead, when Messi picked out Ibrahimovic and the Sweden striker headed in off the post to score his fourth goal in as many league games.

And a minute later, the former Inter Milan man almost scored again, this time crashing a right-footed drive against the post after another pass from Messi.

The Catalans did not have long to wait for their second goal of the night, though, as Messi received the ball from Xavi on the edge of the box following a neat passing move, sidestepped his marker and drove a precise left-footed, angled shot into the far corner.

It was a difficult finish made to look easy.

Centre-back Pique effectively made the points safe when he was left all alone in the penalty area and calmly finished past exposed goalkeeper Tono after he was set up by Ibrahimovic's exquisite backheel.

Even Guardiola must have agreed that his side were in control.

And already three goals to the good, the Catalans did take their foot off the gas somewhat after that.

But they continued to look dangerous in every attack and Messi put the game well out of the home side's reach after 63 minutes, when he scored his trademark goal, cutting in from the right flank, running across the edge of the penalty area and lashing a left-footed drive into the net.

Serrano then bagged a fine solo effort after that, when he nutmegged Rafa Marquez and blasted a thunderous left-footed drive in off the post.

Barca missed further chances late on and had two decent penalty appeals turned away.

But it mattered little as they secured a fourth straight win in some style to throw down the gauntlet to Real Madrid.