Barcelona thrash Tenerife 5-0 to hold on lead

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-01-11 09:39

MADRID: FC Barcelona cruised to an easy 5-0 win away to Tenerife to withstand pressure from Real Madrid and remained on top of Spanish La Liga.

Barcelona thrash Tenerife 5-0 to hold on lead

Barcelona's Carles Puyol (front) is congratulated by teammates after scoring against Tenerife during their Spanish First Division soccer match at Heliodoro Rodriguez Lopez stadium in Tenerife January 10, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]

Leo Messi scored a hat-trick, while Carles Puyol added another before Luna scored an own goal in the closing minutes to seal the result.

The rout was tough on a Tenerife team that performed well in the first 45 minutes, but which was left groggy by three late goals in the first half.

Messi opened the scoring after good work from Bojan Krkic in the 37th minute. Puyol headed home Messi's cross a minute before the break and Messi netted his second after brilliant work from Andres Iniesta in the last minute of the half.

The win took Barcelona back to the top of the table after Real Madrid had enjoyed the leadership for a scant two hours by beating Mallorca 2-0 at home in an earlier match.

Goals from Gonzalo Higuain and Esteban Granero gave Real Madrid a comfortable 2-0 home win in the snowy Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

Mallorca had kicked off the match in fourth place, but never looked like taking anything from the match.

Deportivo la Corua moved into fourth after Juan Rodriguez's 50th minute goal gave his side all three points at home to Osasuna.

Valencia consolidated its position in third place with a 3-1 win away to bottom of the table Xerez.

Juan Mata opened the scoring after 10 minutes and although Carlos Calvo leveled for the home team after 25 minutes, David Silva put Valencia back in front seven minutes later.

Midfielder Carlos Marchen's individual goal with 20 minutes remaining assured all three points for the visitors.

Getafe's recent good run came to an end with a 1-0 defeat away to Sporting Gijon. Diego Castro's goal ended Sporting's five game winless run.

Wehligton scored a header for Malaga and Fernando Llorente a penalty for Athletic as the two sides drew 1-1 in La Rosaleda.

Meanwhile Zaragoza's miserable run continued with a 2-1 defeat to Espanyol, as Jose Aurelio Gay suffered his third successive defeat since replacing Marcelino as coach.

Verdu and Marques scored for Espanyol, while Arizmendi netted for Zaragoza, which remains second from bottom of the table.