La Liga: Lionel Messi nets 30th hat-trick as Barcelona crush Deportivo 4-0

Lionel Messi scored his 30th career hat-trick in all competitions as Barcelona tore Deportivo apart 4-0 at the Riazor.

Messi hit twice in the first half to end the game as a contest in short order before a brilliantly-hit third silenced all recent concerns that he was unhappy and wants to leave the club.

Though the rumours are bound to resurface when Barca next fail to win a game, the stroll in La Coruna was a chance for Barcelona fans and staff alike to drift back into their usual bliss.

An own-goal from Sidnei summed up the evening for Deportivo, who remain at risk of relegation from La Liga with the defeat, while Messi's colleagues in a lethal three-man attack, Luis Suarez and Neymar, had chances of their own to get on the scoresheet.

Messi tormented Deportivo from kickoff, drawing a save from goalkeeper Fabricio Agosto seconds before Ivan Rakitic met his run with a lobbed pass over the defense that the Argentina forward headed over Agosto.

Messi got his second in the 33rd by chipping the ball over Agosto when Neymar's pass for Luis Suarez fell to him at the six-yard box.

And his third came in the 62nd after Deportivo's defense made the mistake of letting Messi enter the area with the ball pegged to his left boot. He wasted little time in picking his spot and firing an unstoppable strike inside the far post.

Barcelona were gifted their fourth with seven to play when Alberto Lopo's clearance hit teammate Sidnei and bounced into their goal.

Atletico striker Mario Mandzukic opened the scoring at the Vicente Calderon Stadium when he converted a penalty kick in the 34th after Diego Godin was fouled by Abdoul Sissoko while trying to reach Fernando Torres' pass.

Playing their first game under interim coach Joseba Aguado following the firing of Joaquin Caparros, Granada had more than held its own until Mandzukic's goal, mustering four shots and as many corner kicks to just one each for the hosts.

But the struggling Andalusian side didn't threaten after falling behind, and recorded their 15th straight round without a win to remain at the foot of the standings.

Atletico substitute Raul Garcia used his back to bump Arda Turan's lobbed pass into the net to seal the victory two minutes from time. Getafe and Deportivo remained one point above the relegation zone.