Having had to sit out last Saturday's league match against Mallorca after arriving back late from his holiday break in Buenos Aires as a result of the snarl-ups currently affecting passengers at Madrid's Barajas airport, Lionel Messi turned on the style at the Vicente Calderón last night in front of newly-appointed Argentina coach Diego Maradona with a hat-trick against Atlético Madrid in the first leg of their Copa del Rey tie that virtually assures them a place in the last eight.

His first came after just twelve minutes when he combined down the right channel with Dani Alvés whose astute and perfectly executed back-heel pass opened up the home defence, leaving Messi one-on-one with the keeper and he finished with lightning aplomb.

The second came shortly after the interval from the penalty spot after Messi had been clumsily brought down by Heitinga (photo, centre), who was sent off.

Ijfalusi halved the deficit in the 68th minute with a headed effort after some slack defending by the visitors from a corner but Messi completed his hat-trick with a close-range finish following a typical jinking run that took him past three defenders and round the keeper in the 79th minute just seconds after being denied by the woodwork after another deadly incursion reminiscent of his delighted former hero and current mentor seated in the stands.