Barcelona were looking for maximum points to keep up the pressure on league leaders Real Madrid as they hosted Espanyol in their traditional Catalan derby fixture, and they came from behind to thrash their opposition with a rather convincing 5-1 victory. Goals from forward Pedro and defender Gerard Pique sealed the three points, but it would not have been a typical Barca performance without the sheer brilliance from magic man Lionel Messi, who grabbed a hat-trick in another stunning performance by the 27-year-old Argentine forward.

However, the game was not all smiles as Luis Enrique's men trailed early on courtesy of a goal from Espanyol midfielder Sergio Garcia after just 13 minutes. He took advantage and ran with the ball on the counter attack, sprinting past Pique inside the area before slamming a low drive beyond goalkeeper Claudio Bravo to break the deadlock, and give the visitors a shock lead inside the Nou Camp.

Barca were quiet for a short period after conceding early on, and failed to register a single shot upon Casilla's goal in the first 30 minutes of play. Messi came close with a stinging costless-kick effort which hit the top of the crossbar shortly after the half-hour mark and it is fair to say that the team improved collectively as the game went on, and Messi equalised before half-time with a well-taken effort on the edge off the area set on a plate from midfielder Xavi to ensure that the two sides went into the break with a goal apiece.

The hosts showed their own counter attacking movements shortly after the interval, with Neymar breaking with speed in the opposition half. He looked up, found team-mate Suárez in space on the flank, and the Uruguayan flicked a swerve pass into Messi's feet, before the Argentine made it 2-1 with an emphatic finish in the 50th minute. Just three minutes later, Pique got himself a goal, as he was unmarked at the corner delivery taken by creative midfielder Ivan Rakitic - and he made the defenders pay with a thumping header into the net.

Pedro made it 4-1 after he latched onto a wonder pass from full-back Jordi Alba across the pitch, with Messi as an option he weaved past his marker and slotted the ball past the 'keeper with devastating effect in the 77th minute.

Then, Messi put the icing on the cake with his hat-trick goal, four minutes later. He ran past two defenders before playing a 1-2 pass with Pedro, who passed it back to Leo, to slam home.

An emphatic 5-1 victory, which means that Barcelona stay just two points behind the league leaders Real Madrid in 2nd place. Carlo Ancelotti's side won 3-0 at home against Celta Vigo yesterday; Luis Enrique's men win the battle for supremacy this weekend. Here is the full table, with a few games left to play in this round of fixtures.