Madrid — Champions Barcelona moved three points clear at the top of La Liga from Sevilla and Atletico Madrid after thrashing Levante 5-0 on Sunday, while Real Madrid scraped to a 1-0 win over Rayo Vallecano on Saturday. Here are five talking points from the weekend's action. IT'S EASIER WITH MESSI Barcelona suffered their only league defeat of last season at Levante in their penultimate game, spoiling their bid to go unbeaten. This time, it was a wholly different story. Why? Lionel Messi wasn't rested. La Liga's top scorer hit a hat-trick and set up the other two in Barcelona's thumping victory, becoming the only player in the top five European leagues this season to reach double figures for both goals (14) and assists (10). Helping Barca go three points clear at the top, Messi and Luis Suarez have 25 league goals this season between them, one more than Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have managed in total. In fact, only Sevilla (29) and Celta Vigo (28) have outscored them in La Lig...
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