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LALIGA

Messi: "I don't remember being applauded by rival fans before"

Messi scored a hat-trick against Betis during Barcelona's 4-1 win at the Benito Villamarín and the home fans gave him a standing ovation after his third goal.

17/03/19   PARTIDO PRIMERA DIVISION
 BETIS - BARCELONA
 GOL 1-4 MESSI ALEGRIA
MIGUEL MORENATTIDIARIO AS

Lionel Messi spoke after Barcelona's victory over Real Betis on Sunday night. He scored a hat-trick, his fourth of the season and 33rd in LaLiga but it was his third that had tongues wagging. And the Real Betis fans at the Benito Villamarín applauding too.

The Argentine chipped Pau Lopez from an almost impossible angle and the rival fans applauded Messi for the genius that sparked the goal.

Messi given a standing ovation by Real Betis fans

"I don't remember being applauded by rival fans for a goal before," he told Movistar.

He was asked if he had ever scored such a nice goal and he responded, "I don't know, I was lucky that both of them went in but above all we got the three points. We knew that we had a good opportunity to put a little distance between ourselves and Atlético and we couldn't fail."