Messi hat-trick inspires Barcelona to another Scots rout

Jul 27 2008 By Gordon Waddell

CRAIG LEVEIN watched Lionel Messi rip Dundee United to shreds with a stunning hat-trick yesterday - then made a cheeky bid to buy him from Barcelona.

The Argentinian genius came on as a second-half sub with the game tied at 1-1 and inspired Pep Guardiola's men to a comfortable 5-1 victory.

And as Levein and Guardiola were introduced in the press room afterwards, the Arabs gaffer said to him: "Will you sell me Messi?"

Levein knows he'd have to flog his squad, the stadium and half the property in Dundee to think about affording him.

But he said: "It's not often you'll see me walk in here after a 5-1 defeat with a smile on my face but it's just because Messi was so fantastic to watch.

"There was no way we could keep up with them for 90 minutes."

United grabbed a shock lead through Prince Buaben but Thierry Henry levelled within 35 seconds before Messi and fellow sub Samuel Eto'o ran riot.

Levein (right) said: "The first goal we gave away was something we'd deal with every week."

Barca boss Guardiola insists Barca are no one-man team. He said: "I have faith in the team, not the individual."