First Division - Day 3

Barcelona 5 - Espanyol 0

Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Semedo, Piqué, Umtiti, Jordi Alba; Rakitic, Busquets (Paulinho 73’), Iniesta (André Gomes 77’); Messi, Luis Suárez, Deulofeu (Dembélé 68‘). 4-3-3.
Espanyol: Pau López; Víctor Sánchez (Marc Navarro 68’), David López, Mario Hermoso, Aarón Martín; Sergi Darder (Didac Vilà 75‘), Javi Fuego, Diop, Piatti (Sergio García 57’); Gerard Moreno, Leo Baptistao. 4-4-2.

Goals:
1-0. 26. Messi. Picked up Rakitic pass and ghosted past defender to score.
2-0. 35. Messi. Poked shot past Pau López and Jordi Alba turned ball across.
3-0. 67. Messi. Got on the end of Alba centre to fire angled shot past keeper.
4-0. 87. Piqué. Got above marker to head Rakitic corner down past Pau López.
5-0. 90. Luis Suárez. Connected with Dembélé cross to score with angled shot.

Yellow cards: Busquets 21’, David López 29’, Víctor Sánchez 60’, Sergi Darder 71’, Aarón Martín 74’, Diop 84’.

Barcelona top the table pending the rest of the weekend games after a resounding 5-0 victory over city neighbours Espanyol on Saturday evening. Lionel Messi scored two in the first half, the first (in a possible offside position) from Rakitic’s pass, and the second after Jordi Alba set him up. Piatti hit the post at the other end just before the break, but midway through the second half Messi completed his hat-trick after connecting with another assist from Jordi Alba. With three minutes to go Piqué got above Mario Hermoso to head the fourth from a Rakitic corner, and with the game coming to an end Luis Suárez scored the fifth following a cross from Dembélé, who had come on to make his debut a few minutes earlier.