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When Barcelona took a two goal lead after 12 minutes for the second consecutive week in La Liga many people could have wondered if the Blaugrana were going to crumble against Osasuna, as they did at Real Sociedad. But Pep Guardiola’s men went on to score six more goals without reply as Lionel Messi grabbed a hat-trick to condemn Jose Luis Mendilibar’s side to their first defeat of the season.

The Catalan side took the lead after five minutes when Dani Alves was afforded tonnes of space to find Messi at the back post, who put it into the net. Fabregas extended Barca’s lead seven minutes later when he played a wonderful one-two with Messi and smashed home with a fantastic left-foot volley.Fabregas was then denied by the keeper with both Messi and Abidal striking the woodwork. However, all doubts were later cast aside when David Villa slipped in behind the backline to meet Eric Abidal’s through ball before rounding Fernandez to slot home.

Xavi later picked the ball up 25-yards from goal. played it to Fabregas in the box and the former Arsenal captain controlled it before squaring to Messi who put it past Fernandez for his second. It took just 12 minutes of the second half for Barca to make it 6-0, Messi chipping the ball through for Xavi who took one touch to bring it down before lobbing Fernandez. Osasuna had a spell in which they looked dangerous and even had a goal chalked off for offside, but offered little more threat in the whole 90 minutes.

With 15 minutes left Villa grabbed his second of the game before Messi secured possession of the matchball in superb style by playing another delightful one-two with Fabregas then putting it past the goalkeeper in a one-on-one situation to make it 8-0.