Barcelona's Lionel Messi (left) is tackled by Espanyol’s Victor Sanchez during a La Liga match in Barcelona on Saturday. Pic/Getty Images

Hours before the start of the Catalunyan Clasico between city-rivals Espanyol and Barcelona in the La Liga here at the RCD Espanyol Stadium on Saturday night, the home fans had told mid-day how much they hated Lionel Messi for his sheer brilliance. And right enough, the Mercurial Argentine shone through as his team emerged 3-0 winners on a cold night across town.