Lionel Messi scored twice as Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao 5-1 to set a new record start to a La Liga season and open a 14-point gap on bitter rivals Real Madrid who were playing a crunch derby with in-form Atletico last night.

Barca have now put together 13 wins and a draw from their first 14 matches to beat the previous best start in the Spanish top flight by Real Madrid in the 1991-92 season.

Messi also is now just one goal off Gerd Mueller’s record of 85 goals in a calendar year for Bayern Munich and Germany in 1972.

Meanwhile, Mauricio Pellegrino was sacked as manager of Valencia following his side’s 5-2 defeat at home to Real Sociedad.

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