Lionel Messi Hits Another Milestone as Barcelona March Toward La Liga Title

Lionel Messi led Barcelona in an absolute procession at Cordoba's Estadio Nuevo Arcangel.

Given the 8-0 final score, a record-equalling La Liga away win, it's hard to believe that the hosts more than held their own in the match for the first 41 minutes.

Once Luis Enrique's side got going, however, there was no stopping this Blaugrana juggernaut.

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The manager might've considered resting his main protagonists given that their Champions League semi-final with Bayern Munich beckons, but unlike his first 29 games, there was to be no rotation here.

By inflicting Cordoba's eighth straight home defeat, itself a record in the Spanish top flight and also the heaviest in their history, Barca sent the Green and Whites spinning into the abyss and through the trapdoor to the Segunda division.

The writing had been on the wall for Jose Antonio Romero's side long before this game, but to have relegation confirmed in such a manner will be shattering for a group of players that have remained resolute in the way that they should play football.

Playing with such principles should be lauded, but at the end of the day, they just weren't good enough.

At the end of 90 minutes here it was men against boys, with Messi chief destroyer as usual.

An arcing pass into Ivan Rakitic on 41 minutes was the stroke of genius required to open up a stubborn home defence, and the Croatian made no mistake with a ferocious drive into the roof of the net.

The roof nearly came off the away dugout a few minutes later when Andres Iniesta provided his first La Liga assist in 402 days. Luis Suarez's rich vein of form continued as he poked the Catalans into a scarcely deserved 2-0 half-time lead.

Within a minute of the start of the second period, Messi had achieved his milestone, a 50th goal in all competitions and 39th in La Liga, tying him with Cristiano Ronaldo in the chase for the Pichichi.

As the goals flowed, Enrique will have noted with interest the work rate and incisive nature of Dani Alves' wing-back play. Two solid-gold assists showed that Barca don't need to look elsewhere. 

Speaking to Esports Cope (h/t Stefan Coerts of Goal), Charly Rexach is hopeful that Alves will remain at Barca: "I am one of those people who still sees him here next season. I'm convinced Dani Alves will remain at Barcelona."

Enrique will have been delighted that Barca's second-half dominance was rewarded with goals. 

Suarez completed a perfect hat-trick, something that even Messi has failed to do to this point.

The Argentinian even declined to accept the gift of a penalty to mark his day with a treble. 

Messi's second of the day had taken him above Ronaldo in the goalscoring charts and was taken off of the toes of Neymar.

But in a sign of the wonderful team spirit that pervades throughout this side, and Messi's unselfishness and lack of desire for personal glory, he preferred to hand the ball to Neymar for the score, giving the youngster a chance to get on the board after missing two gilt-edged opportunities earlier in proceedings.

Yes, things could've been so much worse for Cordoba.

As the dust settles on this victory, Enrique will look back on a job very well done indeed. A potential banana skin handsomely avoided and no lasting injuries on the day.

Furthermore, that's 20 goals in Barca's last five games with none conceded. With echoes of Pep Guardiola's time at the club, what better way to greet their ex-manager at Camp Nou next week.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, or so they say, but this is no copycat Blaugrana—Luis Enrique's vintage are preparing to stand alone.

Watch out Bayern.