MADRID, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- Leo Messi celebrated the sixth Balon d'Or of his career with another hat-trick as FC Barcelona turned on the style to remain top of the Liga Santander with a 5-2 win at home to Mallorca on Saturday night.
Messi scored twice from outside of the Mallorca area in a first half in which Barca played some of their best football of the season to lead 4-1 at the break with Antoine Griezmann opening the scoring after running from the halfway line in the sixth minute.
Luis Suarez also scored with a brilliant backheel to end a team move, before Messi rounded off the scoring after Ante Budimir netted twice for the visitors.
Real Madrid began the day with a comfortable 2-0 win at home to second from bottom Espanyol, who have now lost seven of their last eight matches against Madrid and conceded 26 goals in the process.
Espanyol hardly troubled a Madrid side without Eden Hazard, Gareth Bale and Marcelo and although the home team were well below their best, a first-half goal from Raphael Varane and a goal 12 minutes from time from Karim Benzema sealed a win.
The only setback for Real Madrid was a red card for Ferland Mendy who got himself sent off with two wild challenges.
Valencia came back from 2-0 down to claim the city derby 4-2 away to Levante. Roger Marti put Levante 2-0 up in the first 20 minutes but he then gave Valencia a lifeline in the third minute of injury time with an own goal following a corner.
The second 45 minutes saw Valencia turn the game on its head with goals from Kevin Gameiro in the 57th and 59th minutes, before Ferran Torres added a fourth goal two minutes from time.
Granada ended a run of four defeats and a draw thanks to a 3-0 win at home to Alaves, who ended with nine men after red cards to Mubarak Wakaso and Victor Laguardia.
All of Granada's goals came after the break thanks to Carlos Fernandez, Roberto Soldado and Yangel Herrera.
Friday night saw Atletico Madrid against fail to score yet again as they were held to a 0-0 draw away to Villarreal and after Barca and Real Madrid's wins, Diego Simeone's side look to be already out of the title race.
