Barcelona's Lionel Messi praises team-mates for match-winning performance against Atletico Madrid

The attacker remained as modest as ever despite hitting an impressive hat-trick on Saturday, preferring to shy away from the limelight and brand the five-star win as a team effort

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has applauded his colleagues for helping him record an emphatic hat-trick during his side's 5-0 win over Atletico Madrid in La Liga on Saturday.

The diminutive No.10 was in imperious form once more, with Gregorio Manzano's men being the unfortunate recipients of his display, as he scored three of Barca's five goals on the night at Camp Nou, but Messi immediately put the focus on the rest of his team after the match.

"I must thank my colleagues," he told AS. "We have showed that when we play well, we enjoy our football.

"It was a difficult game as Atletico came and stood their ground well," he continued. "They possess a great team, and earned our respect from the first minute, but the goal put the game into our favour and we quickly took control."

Barcelona regain second place in the Primera Division standings, but it may only be a temporary move as they await the result of Malaga's visit to Zaragoza on Sunday.