Messi gets 4 as Barcelona top Valencia

Barcelona had to come from behind to stay within 10 points of Real Madrid, easily answering the Spanish leader's 4-0 rout of Racing Santander one night earlier with a pure display of the soccer that has crowned it the world's best team.

The undoubted star was Messi, who chipped goalkeeper Diego Alves after being put through by Sergio Busquets for his 27th league goal, 42nd in all competitions and 146th for Barcelona — and in his 200th appearance for the club.

“The team played an incredible game. Some days you play well and some days you play poorly but what important is the team wins,” said Messi, whose only other four-goal performance was against Arsenal in the Champions League nearly two years ago.

Valencia had the early momentum, however, thanks to a ninth-minute goal when Sofiane Feghouli picked out Pablo Piatti's run into the area with a perfectly floated cross for the Argentine to guide the ball past goalkeeper Victor Valdes.

Valdes wouldn't be called into action again until midway through the second half to deny Feghouli as the visitors played without Ever Banega, who needed surgery for a fractured left ankle earlier Sunday after his car reportedly ran over it.

Messi's first goal was memorable, collecting a loose ball inside the area and dribbling near to the goal line, patiently waiting for Alves to commit before sliding it under the goalkeeper in the 22nd minute.

Messi had a chance blocked in the 26th before scoring a minute later, the Argentina captain jumping on the rebound to poke the ball into the roof of the net after Alves had initially saved his first shot.

Barcelona then simply overwhelmed Valencia, with Cesc Fabregas often coming close, including a spectacular 40th-minute swerving volley that struck the crossbar.

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