La Liga: Barcelona thrash Getafe to close gap at top

1. Barcelona five points behind La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid
2. Spanish giants lifted the Copa del Rey thanks to a 4-0 win over Athletic Bilbao

Goodbye

No hanging about here. Time to move on. Thanks for your company and remember you can read a match report on this game on the BBC Sport website.

Until next time...

FULL-TIME

Barcelona move up to third - and two points behind second-placed Real Madrid with a game in hand.

GOAL - Barcelona 5-2 Getafe

It's not Messi who is going to take it.

Up steps Antoine Griezmann who lashes it home.

Barca are finishing in style.

PENALTY TO BARCELONA

IS THIS MESSI'S MOMENT?

A Barca player is down in the box and the referee has no hesitation pointing to the spot.

Three minutes additional time.

Messi is free in the box. Is this his hat-trick? Over the bar.

He might miss out on a hat-trick but Lionel Messi's contribution tonight:

Two goals.

One assist.

Hit the woodwork twice.

GOAL - Barcelona 4-2 Getafe

Panic over!

Messi swings in the corner and Ronald Araujo gets a great contact on it to power it over the line.

That was a lovely header by the substitute.

A Barcelona free-kick about 25 yards out from an angle. You know who is standing over it. Messi whips it in but it's headed behind for a corner.

Just seen a replay of Enes Unal's penalty. Perfectly executed. Marc-Andre ter Stegen went the wrong way.

Into the last 10 minutes. Getafe are looking the more dangerous side. Their boss is frantically encouraging his players to get forward. Will there be a late twist?

I'm not sure I've seen Barcelona this flat before. They were a great watch in the first half but they've been well off it since half time.

As it stands, Barca are going above Sevilla into third and two points behind second-placed Real Madrid. A Getafe equaliser would really hurt them in terms of the title race. Around 15 minutes to go.

SUBSTITUTION

Another Barca change. Will Samuel Umtiti's introduction spark Barca back into life?

Koeman is getting really worked up. Getafe have struggled for goals all season but they have two in the Nou Camp and Barca suddenly look nervous. The hosts need to produce a reaction.

Ronald Koeman's reaction says it all. He's not happy at all. Barca have been flat throughout this second half but Getafe suddenly have a spring in their step.

GOAL - Barcelona 3-2 Getafe

The substitute picks himself up and beats Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Surely they can't?

Getty Images

PENALTY TO GETAFE

Ronald Araujo steps on Enes Unal. The referee missed it but a penalty is awarded after a VAR check.

SUBSTITUTION

Francisco Trincao has been sent on for Sergi Roberto. That incident-packed first half seems an awful long time ago.

Messi's last hat-trick in all competitions dates back to 22 February 2020, when he netted four times in a 5-0 La Liga home win versus Eibar. He's still got another 25 minutes or so to get his third.