Lionel Messi scored twice, netting in his 18th consecutive league
match, as Barcelona overcame Rayo Vallecano 3-1 at the Nou Camp to
restore their 13-point lead at the top of La Liga on Sunday.
The World Player of the Year was in devastating form along with David
Villa, laying on the first for the Spain striker before Villa returned
the favour twice, either side of the break.
Messi took his La Liga tally for the season to 42 goals and he last
failed to find the net in the league at Celta Vigo on November 3.
Barcelona moved on to 74 points with 10 games left, ahead of champions
Real Madrid in second who came from behind to beat Real Mallorca 5-2 at
home on Saturday.
Atletico Madrid were a point further back in third after Diego Costa
scored twice in a 2-0 victory at Osasuna that kept them hot on the heels
of their King's Cup final opponents.
Messi had already hit the crossbar with a free kick when he laid on the
opener for Villa to sweep in Barca's first after 25 minutes.
Villa, steadily cementing his place back in the side, released Messi on a
breakaway to score just before halftime and he repeated the task in the
57th, leaving the Argentine to burst past his marker and lob the
keeper.
Substitute Raul Tamudo pulled one back for Rayo with his first touch in
the 70th minute as chances fell to both sides in an open final period
when Messi almost completed his hat-trick.
COMBATIVE FRONTMAN
Atletico's combative frontman Costa, who has been called up to Luiz
Felipe Scolari's Brazil squad for their friendlies against Italy and
Russia, finished off a counter-attack at the second attempt in the 35th
minute at Osasuna.
Just after the re-start he guided Koke's free kick into the net from
close range and he came close to completing a hat-trick in a typically
bruising encounter in Pamplona.
Costa was forced to limp off with an ankle injury midway through the second half.
Earlier, Malaga's joy at qualifying for the Champions League
quarterfinals for the first time was cut short when Espanyol condemned
them to a 2-0 home defeat.
Manuel Pellegrini's side, on their first venture into Europe's top club
competition, came back to beat Porto 2-1 on aggregate at a festive
Rosaleda on Wednesday, but they struggled against a well-organised
Espanyol.
Goalkeeper Willy Caballero, the rock upon which much of their success
has been built this season, made a rare mistake when he fumbled a corner
in the 49th minute and Diego Colotto volleyed the visitors in front
against the run of play.
The hosts looked short of spark and were undone again in the 66th when
Mubarak Wakaso burst down the left and crossed for Sergio Garcia to
volley a superb second into the top corner.
Home fans continued to sing and applaud their side despite the setback,
but the defeat left Malaga, who have not won in their last four league
outings, in sixth place with 44 points.
Real Sociedad and Valencia won on Saturday to climb above them into fourth and fifth respectively.
Sociedad thumped Real Valladolid 4-1 to move on to 47 points and Valencia beat 10-man Real Betis 3-0 to climb on to 45.
Sevilla are 10th with 38 points after hammering 10-man Real Zaragoza 4-0
at home, when Alvaro Negredo's 15th goal of the campaign made him the
highest scoring Spaniard in La Liga.
, when Alvaro Negredo's 15th goal of the campaign made him the highest scoring Spaniard in La Liga.
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