Barcelona president Joan Laporta was delighted with Lionel Messi's hat-trick performance at Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night.

"He's an extraordinary talent, we have to take care of him. It was a beautiful experience for him at the Calderon in the way he was acclaimed and hopefully this will happen at many other stadiums," said Laporta.

"He is now growing into his leadership role. Messi was destined to become a leader both for Barca and Argentina. He is one of the best players in the world."