By Pete Jenson for MailOnline
Published: 17:06 GMT, 23 February 2019 | Updated: 17:12 GMT, 23 February 2019
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On 22 minutes Lionel Messi gave the ball away and Sevilla scored to make it 1-0. How did he make up for his mistake? He scored a hat-trick and won the game almost single-handed for Barcelona.
Barcelona have scored 65 goals this season in La Liga and Messi has scored 25 of them. They rely on him more than ever. Without him at the Sanchez Pizjuan Sevilla would have clipped Barcelona’s wings and closed the gap at the top. Thanks to Messi the leaders are flying higher than ever.
The Sevilla opener came on 22 minutes and it was Messi who gave the ball away in his own half. In a flash – thanks to Quincy Promes’ quick pass to Wissam Ben Yedder – Sevilla were attacking Barcelona with a three against two situation in their favour.
Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick as Barcelona twice came from behind to beat Sevilla in La Liga
Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring his second goal of the game to pull Barcelona level against Sevilla
Sevilla players celebrate with Gabriel Mercado after the Argentine restored his side's lead against Barcelona
Ben Yedder carried the ball to the edge of the area and it was 33-year-old Jesus Navas, who had sprinted 60 yards to join the attack, who arrived to shoot past Marc Andre ter Stegen to make it 1-0.
Gerard Pique was furious with the way the defence had been left exposed and with the way the ball had been lost and not recovered.
Messi, one of the main culprits made amends spectacularly, first in just four minutes with the equaliser.
Luis Suarez played the ball out to Ivan Rakitic and when he crossed left-footed, Messi volleyed left-footed past Tomas Vaclik.
Sevilla’s confidence was not dented and Ben Yedder flicked the ball up over Gerard Pique’s head on the edge of the penalty area. He pulled the forward back and was yellow carded.
Three minutes before the break Sevilla took the lead again. A Ter Stegen clearance went straight to Ever Banega and he got Sevilla moving quickly down the right. Pablo Sarrabia raced to the byline and when he pulled the ball back it
