A hat-trick from Thierry Henry and another goal from Leo Messi gave Barça a comfortable win against bottom of the table Levante. Henry had failed to score in the league before today from a total of 17 attempts on goal. Today he had three chances and buried them all. 

Frank Rijkaard decided to leave Carles Puyol on the bench which meant a start for Lilian Thuram alongside Milito while Oleguer Presas played at right back in place of the injured Zambrotta. The first fifteen minutes were pretty uneventful with just one chance for Milito who headed Deco’s free kick well wide.

In the 16th minute Abidal slotted a pass through to Iniesta who ran into the left side of the area but his cross was diverted for a corner. From the corner Levante keeper Storari punched clear but only as far as Xavi who headed the ball to Messi whose shot was saved by Storari but Henry had a simple task to score from the rebound.

Six minutes later Messi had a goal disallowed when he was judged to have fouled a defender. A minute later Messi threaded a great pass through to Henry who controlled well with one touch before placing the ball past the advancing Storari to make it 0-2.

From then on it was all too easy for Barça, before half time Messi had a couple of runs and shots but both times he was off target. At half time Barça took off Milito who picked up an injury, to give Puyol his first game in over three months.

The game was killed off in the first few minutes of the second half. Henry completed his hat-trick after 49 minutes when a pass from Deco which was intended for Messi, was deflected into the path of the Frenchman who entered the area and coolly beat Storari. Then another pass from Deco found Messi on the right, he dribbled past a defender as though he wasn’t there and picked his spot at the far post for the goal of the game and Barça’s fourth.

Rijkaard with eyes on Tuesday’s Champions League game in Stuttgart immediately replaced Messi with Giovani dos Santos. With the game already decided the intensity dropped and Levante searched for a consolation goal. After 71 minutes they almost got it when Rigano shot against the post. Then a minute later Puyol, who looked a bit off the pace, fouled Geijo in the area and Viquiera sent Valdés the wrong way with the penalty.

Xavi nearly made it five with a free kick after 83 minutes but Storari saved well. The worst news for Barça came five minutes from the end when Toure had to go off injured. Barça played on with ten men and Giovani had a run and shot near the end but once again Storari got down well.

This was an easy win for Barça against weak opposition, but it will be good for confidence to get an away win under the belt. There were good performances from Deco, Iniesta and Messi, and for Henry it must be a great relief to get some goals.

Levante: Storari, Descarga, Álvaro, Cirillo, David Castedo, Miguel Ángel, Berson (Ettien, m52), Juanma (Viqueira, m52), Savio (Geijo, m68), Riga y Rigano

Barça: Víctor Valdés 6.5, Oleguer 6, Thuram 6, Milito 6.5 (Puyol, m45, 6), Abidal 6.5 (Sylvinho, m63, 6), Xavi 6, Toure Yaya 6.5, Deco 7, Messi 8 (Giovani, m51, 6), Henry 8, Iniesta 7.

Goals: 0-1, Henry (m17). 0-2, Henry (m24). 0-3, Henry (m49). 0-4, Messi (m50), 1-4, Viqueira, penalty (m72).

Yellow Cards: Berson, Rigano, Miguel Angel, Alvaro, Cirillo.

Attendance: 20,229

See the goals and the best of the action here - http://www.marca.com/edicion/marca/futbol/1a_division/goles/es/desarrollo/1041343.html