Messi, who has struggled for form in recent weeks due to a niggling injury, looked on a mission to grab the winner and after twice coming close he completed his treble to put Barca ahead in the 85th minute, reacting quickly to a poor Sevilla clearance to dink the ball over goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik.
Bayern Munich booked their fifth successive Champions League semi-final spot with a 2-2 draw at Benfica on Wednesday to seal a 3-2 aggregate victory that kept the Germans on course for a treble of titles.
Real Madrid's teenage Brazilian duo Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes sent them top of La Liga as both scored in a 2-0 win over Osasuna on Wednesday.
Tottenham Hotspur climbed to third with a 3-1 win over Southampton while Chelsea hung on to fourth spot, above Arsenal on goal difference, despite a 2-1 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Didier Deschamps said his team's startling success was brought about by forcing the Spanish favourites out of their comfortable stride.
An unbeaten 96 by Pravanjan Mallick helped Orissa post 217 for four on the first day of the Ranji Trophy Plate division semi-final against Madhya Pradesh.
Former Brazil forward Ronaldo said on Wednesday he will try to get back into shape with an eye on coming out of retirement to play for North American second division club Fort Lauderdale Strikers.
Skipper Raul scored from the penalty spot 12 minutes into the second half as Spain escaped with a 1-1 draw.
The United States has not ruled out a visit to the White House by Cuban President Raul Castro, arguing that President Barack Obama has visited countries like China and Myanmar and invited their leaders to America, despite having serious human rights concerns about them.
Reigning champions Manchester City took the lead after 24 seconds but suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at Newcastle United.
Reigning champions Real Madrid took advantage of Valencia's defeat against Deportivo to move up to second.
India's shuttlers continued their good run at the Canada Open. Six singles players, including Ajay Jayaram and H S Prannoy, qualified for the quarter-finals in the US $55,000 Grand Prix badminton tournament, in Calgary.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Real Madrid scored a 2-1 victory over the Thai national team in their last match of their Asian tour.
Real Madrid beat Valencia 3-0 on Wednesday in a King's Cup quarter-final first leg victory.
Boca Juniors edged out AC Milan 3-1 in a penalty shoot-out following an absorbing 1-1 draw after extra time to win the World Club Cup.
Mexico and Bolivia were booed off the pitch after playing out a drab goalless draw in their opening match of the Copa America on Friday, leaving hosts Chile top of Group A after the first round of matches.
Orissa declared their innings at 466 for eight, taking a first innings lead of 231 runs, and then reduced Goa to 41 for one in their second knock.
A maiden unbeaten knock of 119 by opener Swapnil Asnodkar helped Goa to a position of strength.
Cristiano Ronaldo has urged Real Madrid to renew his contract and said he wanted to see out his career in the Spanish capital. Ronaldo's immediate future at Real has been in doubt all season, with speculation growing throughout the year that he was plotting a move to Paris Saint-Germain but the prolific Portuguese has now made it clear he wants to stay at the club. "Real Madrid would be making a smart decision if they offered me a new contract," Ronaldo told Spanish television programme La Sexta on Wednesday. "I want to stay here, there have been good moments and bad moments. Four years ago I wasn't happy here but now I am and I can't think of a better club to be at than Real Madrid, there's no team like it. The other clubs can forget it." Ronaldo overtook Raul Gonzalez as Real's all-time top scorer earlier this season and on Saturday will be hoping to inspire the team to their 11th European Cup success when they take on Atletico Madrid in the Champions League final in Milan.
A first half Tiago header set up Atletico Madrid's 2-0 victory over Espanyol as they seek to get back on track following a stuttering start to the La Liga season.
European champions Real Madrid beat Olimpia of Paraguay 2-0 and emphatically brought to an end to a poor run of results.\n\n\n\n
We present some of the best photographs clicked across the globe in the month of May.
English Premier League leaders Liverpool opened up a 22-point gap at the top of the table with second-half goals from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jordan Henderson and a Mohamed Salah brace giving them a 4-0 home win over Southampton. A rare double from defender Antonio Rudiger earned Chelsea a point in an entertaining 2-2 draw with third-placed Leicester City.
A summary of Sunday's Premier League matches
Vicente del Bosque said his side still has a lot of hard work to do to make the Champions League quarter-finals.
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo collected a record fourth Golden Shoe award as Europe's top scorer on Tuesday for his 48-goal haul in La Liga last season.
The result keeps Real Madrid in third spot in the Spanish first division standings, a point behind Valencia and five adrift of leaders Real Sociedad.
The home team's record signing Jefferson Lerma, who cost 25 million pounds ($32 million) in August, scored a spectacular own goal to give Arsenal the lead but Norwegian international Josh King, back in the Bournemouth side after injury, equalised just before halftime.
Second-half goals from the duo gave Real Madrid a 2-0 win at home against Eibar and a place in the quarter-finals of the King's Cup.
Cristiano Ronald headed his 300th goal for Real Madrid in a laboured 2-0 La Liga victory at neighbours Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday that kept the gap on leaders Barcelona down to four points.
Vice President Hamid Ansari discovers the iconic Fidel Castro in fine form during a rare 65-minute encounter. Nikhil Lakshman reports from Havana
A 2-1 victory enabled Real extend their perfect home league record and stay two points clear at the top of the table in the Spanish League. \n\n
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
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