THREE ASSISTS AND A MISSED PENALTY — IT CAN ONLY BE MESSI

The Argentine attacker set up three goals in a Liga match for the first time, added a superb strike of his own and saw a spot kick saved in a performance only he could produce.

It is a potential quiz question for the future. Which Barcelona player set up three goals, scored and missed a penalty against Getafe in March 2016? The answer, however, will be too easy. Because it could only be Lionel Messi.

The Argentine attacker produces so much sublime stuff for the Catalan club that his spot kick struggles in recent times are something of a mystery. Not that it matters much, however, and it shows the watching world that even the game's greatest player is prone to human error, giving us the occasional glimpse that he is really a mere mortal after all.

Messi racked up three assists in a Liga game for the first time as Barca battered Getafe 6-0 on Saturday and it could have been more as the 28-year-old found Neymar time and time again with some brilliant balls into the Brazilian's path all game.

He was also on the score sheet himself, blasting home from outside the box with a low drive. Earlier, he had seen his spot kick saved in that same corner by Vicente Guaita. If anything, however, it merely motivates him to play even better instead of affecting him negatively, and the five-time Ballon d'or winner came close to a stunning solo effort late on after a remarkable run into the box. Forget the penalty — this was another Messi masterclass.

The Argentine now has 23 goals in just 18 games in 2016 and 12 assists in that time, while Neymar's double against Getafe means all three of Barca's MSN trident have surpassed 20 league goals in the current campaign.

Luis Suarez was rested ahead of Barca's Champions League clash against Arsenal at Camp Nou on Wednesday and the Uruguayan may also sit out the league game versus Villarreal next weekend because a booking in that match would see the striker suspended for the visit of Real Madrid in the Clasico on April 2.

In any case, Barca seems unstoppable at the moment and Messi's increased generosity — a big feature of his game since the arrival of Luis Enrique as coach — sees the Blaugrana chasing a second straight treble after the club won La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League in 2014-15.

100 UP: PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN ACE IBRAHIMOVIC AS GOOD AS EVER

The Sweden international striker may be 34, but he is showing no signs of slowing up in his goal-scoring exploits after another remarkable feat.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic passed another landmark on Sunday afternoon, as four strikes in a staggering 9-0 victory against Troyes saw the Swede breach the 100-goal barrier in Ligue 1.

As the league's bottom club crumbled to a humiliating defeat, Ibra showed his strength by grabbing a treble within 11 minutes of the restart after a frustrating first period. The first was a fine finish from the edge of the box, while the second an acrobatic kung-fu kick from close range. Angel Di Maria teed him up for the second and would do so again for the third, which was a thumping side-footed finish from the edge of the box - the 101st of his career in France's top flight.

One more was to follow late on as he capped PSG's record Ligue 1 victory with a fourth for his personal tally.

The 34-year-old has amassed his figure in only 115 matches in France’s top flight, and while he will never break Delio Onnis’ record of goals in the competition, his strike rate stands in comparison to anyone who has previously graced the league before. Indeed, the Argentine actually achieved the landmark in five games fewer, but there is no disputing the Swede's place in Ligue 1 history.

Since signing for the Parisian side in the summer of 2012, he has become an iconic figure for PSG, and one who has come to represent the ambition and flair of the QSI project at Parc des Princes.

In the twilight of his career, the Swede continues to defy critics. Written off at the start of the season following a run that saw him score only twice from open play in the league until the middle of October, Ibra now stands proudly on 25 goals, with his personal best of 30 well within range given there are eight matches still to play.

Ultimately, it might be that a far greater goal – the Champions League – prevents the Swede from breaking his mark.

The competition is the one great club trophy Ibra has yet to claim, and the consensus is that this season may be his final shot at glory. Often derided for his poor performance in the knockout rounds, he showed in the last 16 against Chelsea that he still has the ability to perform on the greatest of all stages.

His deflected free kick in the first leg triggered a vital 2-1 win for PSG, but it was his display at Stamford Bridge, where he had been sent off a year earlier, that really won him plaudits. Ibra dominated the game, set up Adrien Rabiot’s opener and then scored the second that killed the tie off.

It would have been a welcome tonic for the Swede to have silenced his detractors, while Ligue 1 defenders were doubtless making their own sighs of relief as the veteran proved that he is capable of dominating virtually any opponent.

“You still had your doubts over him because he was playing in Ligue 1, that’s the truth,” Blanc addressed the media after the game. “You asked if he was capable of playing like that in the Champions League. Tonight he gave you his answer.”

“He’s magic. He’s a fantastic player,” gushed president Nasser Al-Khelaifi. “After each match he gets better and better.”

In some ways, that is true. 

Ibrahimovic shows few signs of slowing at a time when most players, particularly ones who rely on their physical attributes, are starting to fade. The Swede is, however, a multi-faceted beast who has countless qualities in his game. 

His body is holding up well, despite his advancing years. His fondness for taekwondo has kept his body both supple and strong, while the heel injury that plagued him from much of last season is now nothing but a bad memory. 

“He attracts two opposing defenders,” Blanc said. “Technically, he sees things very quickly. He’s very important to us. If he continues like this, he won’t be stopped.”

The praise has not just come from Paris, with Guus Hiddink joining the chorus of praise in midweek: “He is not the youngest but for his age he is doing very w

26-year-old man arrested in connection with Iditarod crashes

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A man suspected of intentionally driving a snowmobile into teams of two mushers near the front of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race has been arrested in a Yukon River village.

Arnold Demoski, 26, of Nulato, was arrested Saturday on suspicion of assault, reckless endangerment, reckless driving and six counts of criminal mischief.

Demoski spoke to KTUU-TV (http://bit.ly/1QPO4MH ), saying he was returning home from a night of drinking when he struck Aliy Zirkle and Jeff King's teams early Saturday morning.

The crashes killed one of King's dogs and injured at least two others. One of Zirkle's dogs also was injured. Iditarod officials at first reported King had been injured. But the four-time champion said later the snowmobile had missed both him and his sled.

Demoski said when he woke up Saturday morning and heard what had happened to the mushers, he checked his snowmobile and realized he had done it. The snowmobile was missing a part and had rust-colored stains, he said.

Demoski said he doesn't remember the collisions, which the Iditarod described as apparently intentional attacks.

"I just want to say I'm sorry," he said.

Zirkle, 46, who finished second three times from 2012 to 2014, was mushing from Kokukuk to Nulato, a run of less than 20 miles (32.19 kilometers) on the Yukon River, when she was hit, race marshal Mark Nordman said Saturday.

The snowmobile hit the side of Zirkle's sled about 5 miles (8.05 kilometers) outside of Koyukuk, turned around multiple times and came back at her before driving off, Alaska State Troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters said by email.

The snowmobile reappeared 12 miles (19.31 kilometers) outside of Nulato. The driver revved up and was pointed at Zirkle before leaving, Peters said.

Demoski told KTUU that he did not return to harass Zirkle. He said he wanted to check to make sure she was OK.

One dog on Zirkle's team was bruised. Officials described the injury as non-life-threatening.

Zirkle reached Nulato and told a race official the incident had left her shaken.

"I'm really bad. Someone tried to kill me with a snowmachine," she said on a video posted to the Iditarod Insider webpage. Snowmachine is what Alaskans call snowmobiles.

King, a four-time Iditarod champion, was behind Zirkle and fared worse. When King reached the vicinity 12 miles outside of Nulato, his team was struck from behind by the snowmobile.

Nash, a 3-year-old male, was killed. Crosby, another 3-year-old male, and Banjo, a 2-year-old male, received injuries and are expected to survive. King told the Iditarod Insider the snowmobile narrowly missed him and his sled, but hit his dogs at high speed.

"One of my dogs was killed pretty much on the spot, and a couple others I gave first aid to the best I could and loaded them into my sled," he told the Iditarod camera crew. "I kind of felt like a triage ambulance."

It did not appear to be an accident, he said. "It seemed like an act of bravado," King said.

Rural Alaska communities have many wonderful people, he said, but they also have serious social problems.

"It is beyond comprehension to me that this was not related to substance abuse," King said, adding that "no one in their right mind would do what this person did."

King remained in Nulato early Saturday afternoon.

The race leader early Saturday afternoon was Brent Sass, who left the village of Kaltag at 8:20 a.m.

Zirkle rested four hours in Nulato and dropped one dog before heading back onto the Yukon River with 14 dogs in harness. She reached Kaltag at 10: 44 a.m., and after a nine-minute rest, left again in second place.

Current champion Dallas Seavey left Kaltag at 11: 24 a.m. in third place. His father, former champion Mitch Seavey, was in fourth place.

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This story has been corrected to show the positions, records of Mitch Seavey and Dallas Seavey.

Fighting in Yemen's Aden kills 22

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Yemeni security officials say fighting between local affiliates of al-Qaida and the Islamic State group has flared in the port city of Aden, killing 22 people at a time when government forces are battling both groups.

They said Sunday that 17 of those killed were from al-Qaida, three were government forces and two were civilians. The officials, neutral in the conflict pitting government forces against Shiite rebels, spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to brief reporters.

Fighting broke out Saturday when government forces sought to retake areas held by local affiliates of both al-Qaida and IS, causing civilians to flee their homes.

Both extremist groups have exploited the chaos of Yemen's 18-month civil war to expand the territory under their control in southern and eastern Yemen.

MILAN –  Six backcountry skiers died Saturday in an avalanche in the Italian Alps, others were rescued and emergency workers were still looking for more possible victims, authorities said.

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Helicopters were flying to the remote location -- above 9,840 feet on Monte Nevoso -- as search-and-operations continued at the site. Monte Nevoso is 11,017 feet high in the Alto Adige region of Italy near the Austrian border.

Rafael Kostner, the head of the rescue operation, told the news agency ANSA that dogs were flown up to the avalanche site to search for other victims and that some survivors had been brought back down along with the bodies of victims. He did not have an exact number for the survivors.

The dead were among a group of backcountry skiers who climb above tree line to the mountain crest and then ski down. It was not clear how many were in the group or what triggered the avalanche.

The high altitude and the number of people involved were complicating the rescue, Kostner said.

"The helicopters are having difficulty safely reaching altitudes above 3,000 meters (9,840 feet)," Kostner was quoted as saying. "Therefore, they fly with very little fuel and all unnecessary gear is left on the ground."

COMPLETE CAMPAIGN 2016 COVERAGE

Trump threatens to 'press charges' against protesters after latest chaos
Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump said he was “going to start pressing charges” against the protesters who kept interrupting him on the campaign trail on Saturday.

Didier Drogba Shares Pic Of His Daughter As She Turns A Year Older..

He shared the picture as he wished her happy birthday…I think she Looks very much like her dad

See How BAD The Road Of Sholu-Ifo Community In Ogun State Looks

This photo was sent in, and the sender wrote;

“It has become necessary to broadcast the plight of Sholu-Ifo community in Ifo LGA of Ogun State. The area has suffered persistent neglect from both local & state government of the state.

The last time Gov. Amosun was campaigning, he promised, like he did in 2011 to do something, but nothing is done till now.

Each time its raining, its always a serious flood. A girl was just rescued from the flood now.”