London: Argentine Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick to help Barcelona stay top of La Liga on Sunday.
AC Milan emerged as the main threat to city rivals Inter in Serie A with a 3-0 win at Juventus while only two Premier League games took place as snow and ice gripped England.
SPAIN
Messi's hat-trick helped Barcelona to their first win of the year as they trounced Tenerife 5-0 away on Sunday to maintain their two-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.
Messi stepped forward to take his tally for the season to 12 and set up another for Carles Puyol before Tenerife scored an own goal. Real had earlier put the pressure on with a comfortable 2-0 home win over Real Mallorca, thanks to goals from Gonzalo Higuain and Esteban Granero.
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Valencia are six points further back in third after a 3-1 win at basement side Xerez.
ITALY
Inter Milan produced an astonishing comeback to beat Siena 4-3 while AC Milan emerged as their main challengers after a 3-0 win at third-placed Juventus. Inter were 3-2 down at home to bottom side Siena with two minutes to go before Wesley Sneijder converted a second free kick and defender Walter Samuel lashed home in stoppage time.
Juve coach Ciro Ferrara's future is uncertain after his ineffectual side lost their fourth match in five in all
competitions. Second-placed Milan, eight behind Inter with a game in hand, won easily thanks to Alessandro Nesta's first-half strike and two goals after the break from Brazilian Ronaldinho.
ENGLAND
Only two Premier League games survived the freezing conditions and title hopefuls Manchester United and Arsenal might have wished they had also been postponed after both teams were held to draws. Champions United came from behind with an own goal to draw 1-1 at Birmingham City as the Midlanders set a club top flight record of 12 unbeaten games.
Arsenal also came from behind, Tomas Rosicky striking in stoppage time to secure a fortunate 2-2 home draw with Everton in a game largely played in a freezing snow storm.
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The results left Chelsea, whose match at Hull City was postponed, top on 45 points from 20 matches, followed by United
with 44 from 21 and Arsenal on 42 from 20.
FRANCE
Nice became the first top-flight side to fall to a club from a lower league in this season's French Cup when they lost 2-1 at third division strugglers Plabennec in the round of 64 on Sunday.
All the big names qualified in a weekend with many matches postponed because of wintry conditions. Some struggled, notably Ligue 1 champions Girondins Bordeaux, who needed a late penalty to move past third division Rodez 1-0 Saturday.
There will be an interesting all-Ligue 1 clash between Monaco and Olympique Lyon in the next round.
PORTUGAL
Leaders Braga retained the top spot with a 2-0 home win over Nacional on Friday. Vandinho's headed goal gave them a second minute lead and Leone added another with a tap in on 56 minutes. Benfica stayed level on points with Braga by beating Rio Ave 1-0 away on Saturday thanks to a 48th-minute goal by Javier Saviola. The Argentine forward netted from the edge of the box after Martins' corner had been deflected by Oscar Cardozo.
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Two goals by Colombian striker Radamel Falcao, one by Bruno Alves and an injury-time penalty save by Helton earned Porto a
3-2 home win over Leiria on Sunday and allowed the champions to stay four points adrift of the leaders.
