Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi had to big games this weekend with each having major points to prove. Messi was looking to continue his top form while Ronaldo sought to get back on the goalscoring column.

Messi had two games, a La Liga match and a Copa del Rey contest. He scored two goals in the Copa del Rey matchup, continuing his torrid pace in the competition..

However, he was on another level in the La Liga game against Granada, scoring his first hat trick of the season.

Messi's opener was a play of pure magic as the superstar dribbled from the right wing and into the middle, warding off defenders in the process. Eventually he got the ball over to the left side of the pitch and made his way to the front of the net where he finished the play. His second goal came from a great passing play between Neymar and Luis Suarez with Suarez's final pass looking like it would head out of bounds. But Messi would not be had and he darted to the finish line and made his way over to the ball to place it in the empty net. The final goal was a team goal with Neymar hitting the post and the bounce going right to Messi who beat defenders inside the box to poke it home.

Not his flashiest hat trick ever, but certainly a solid and well-earned trio of goals that include some vintage Messi intelligence on and off the ball.

Ronaldo's situation was far less successful, though not for a lack of trying. The superstar had 10 shots at goal and three were actually on target. He had the keeper stop a pair and one of his attempts, a glorious header, hit the post. Ronaldo was hugely involved in the run-up to that goal and certainly deserved better than he wound up getting throughout the match.

That said, he had two assists, including a brilliant set up from the right flank to pick out Gareth Bale for the third goal of the game. The second assist was more of an accident with Ronaldo missing a scoring chance and the ball bouncing off his leg and falling to Karim Benzema who made no mistake. Ronaldo also had an instance where he made a solid defensive play and looked far hungrier than we have seen all season long under Rafa Benitez. If Ronaldo plays at the level he played on Saturday, then there can be no doubt that the goals will come for the superstar.

Season Stats

Ronaldo has 25 goals and 10 assists in 25 games across all competitions. He has 14 goals in La Liga and seven assists and is on pace for 28 goals and 14 assists; that would mark his lowest goal total since his inaugural La Liga season in 2009-10 when he put up just 26 goals and seven assists. He has recorded at least 30 goals in every other season.

Messi has nine goals and four assists in 13 games for Barcelona this season and is on pace for 22 goals on the year. That said, he has been scoring with greater consistency of late and could easily eclipse that total.

Calendar Year Stats

Messi has five goals and two assists in three matches in 2016 while Ronaldo has only three assists across two games to start the year.

Winnner - Messi scored a hat trick while Ronaldo's contribution, while important, were not as important to the ultimate result.

Messi takes this week's contest, but Ronaldo still holds a 7-5 lead.

Next Up: Barcelona gets another two games this week with the Copa del Rey clash with Espanyol coming to an end before the team hosts Athletic Bilbao. Real Madrid meanwhile hosts Sporting Gijon, a team that Madrid tied 0-0 at the start of the term