Barcelona on top of table after crushing 4-1 victory over Racing Santander

Champions Barcelona moved back to the top of the Spanish table with a thumping 4-1 win at Racing Santander last night to maintain their perfect start to the season.

Argentine Lionel Messi scored a brace, including a brilliant solo goal, making him the league's top-scorer with five goals while Zlatan Ibrahimovic continued his record of scoring in every game and now has four to his name.
It is a maximum 12 points from four games for Barcelona representing their best start since the 1997-98 season.

Real Madrid can move level on points with Barca if they can win at Villarreal tonight.

Barca blitzed Atletico Madrid at the weekend with four goals inside the first 41 minutes and did the trick again in Santander establishing a three-goal lead by the 26th minute.

A destructive six-minute spell saw Ibrahimovic open the scoring in the 20th minute to maintain his goal a game record.

Three minutes later Messi exchanged passes with Xavi before curling into the corner for his fourth goal of the season. Gerard Pique, getting a reputation for a goalscoring defender, netted the third on 26 minutes after a great touch from Ibrahimovic.

Meanwhile, Sevilla climbed to the third place on the points' table with a 2-0 win over Real Mallorca at home. Squillaci (17) and Perotti (25) scored for the winners.