By Jojo Doria

Barcelona, Spain

Lionel Messi recorded a hat trick to lead Barcelona to a 4-1 triumph over Malaga and break the record for goals in a European club season.

Messi scored on a pair of penalty kicks and added another tally to break Gerd Mueller's 39-year-old record. Messi has 68 goals this season for the Spanish giants.

Mueller set the record with Bayern Munich in the 1972-73 season when he scored 67 goals.

Messi has played 57 games for Barcelona this season, scoring a record 46 goals in the Spanish league. He has added 14 goals in Champions League play, three in the Spanish Super Cup, two each in the Club World Cup and the Copa del Rey, and one in the UEFA Super Cup.

It was the 21st multigoal game of the season for Messi and his seventh hat trick in Spanish League play, tying the record set by Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid this season.

Despite Messi's brilliance this season Barcelona will finish behind Ronaldo and Madrid this season in league play.

Real Madrid clinched its 32nd Spanish league title and first in four years with a 3-0 win at Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday night.

Barcelona's Messi Sets European Season Goal Record