Messi named La Liga player of the month for first time

The five-times Ballon d'Or winner scored six goals in the league in January, including his first hat-trick of the season against Granada.

(Reuters)

Argentine Messi's team mate Neymar won the award in November, the first Barca player to claim it.

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo has won it twice.

(Reporting by Simon Jennings in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)