<p>Barcelona playmaker Xavi celebrated his 400th league appearance by scoring the opening goal and Lionel Messi netted twice as the La Liga champions beat 10-man Real Betis 4-2 on Sunday to trim Real Madrid's advantage at the top back to five points.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Spain international Xavi, the first Barca player to reach the 400 milestone, clipped the ball high into an empty net in the 10th minute at the Nou Camp after a Cesc Fabregas shot had ricocheted back off a post.<br /><br />Pep Guardiola's side were cruising when Messi added a second two minutes later but Barca conceded their first league goals at home this season when a battling Betis struck either side of the break to make it 2-2.<br /><br />Betis defender Mario Alvarez was dismissed for a second yellow card 19 minutes from time before <br />Alexis Sanchez ran on to a Xavi pass and fired a 75th-minute third goal and Messi scored from the spot in the 86th following a Betis handball in the area.<br /><br />With just under half the season played, Real have 46 points from 18 matches thanks to their 2-1 comeback win at Real Mallorca on Saturday, with Barca on 41.<br /><br />Valencia, who lost 1-0 at home to Real Sociedad on Saturday, are seven points behind the Catalans in third.<br /><br />Real's success in Mallorca was a club record 11th straight victory away from home in all competitions and they host Barca, whom they beat 1-0 in last year's final, in a King's Cup quarterfinal first leg on Wednesday.<br /><br />Athletic Bilbao improved their chances of playing in Europe next season when Fernando Amorebieta, Fernando Llorente and Mikel San Jose secured a 3-0 win at home to Levante earlier on Sunday.<br /><br />Marcelo Bielsa's side climbed to fifth on 26 points, level with Osasuna but ahead on goal difference after the Pamplona-based club lost 2-0 at home to Racing Santander, their first defeat in seven games.<br /><br />Malaga slipped to eighth, level with Sevilla and Espanyol on 25 points, after they were beaten 2-1 at struggling Sporting Gijon. <br /><br />Atletico Madrid thumped struggling Villarreal 3-0, a first victory in four matches for the capital's second club, putting them 10th on 23 points.<br /></p>
<p>Barcelona playmaker Xavi celebrated his 400th league appearance by scoring the opening goal and Lionel Messi netted twice as the La Liga champions beat 10-man Real Betis 4-2 on Sunday to trim Real Madrid's advantage at the top back to five points.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Spain international Xavi, the first Barca player to reach the 400 milestone, clipped the ball high into an empty net in the 10th minute at the Nou Camp after a Cesc Fabregas shot had ricocheted back off a post.<br /><br />Pep Guardiola's side were cruising when Messi added a second two minutes later but Barca conceded their first league goals at home this season when a battling Betis struck either side of the break to make it 2-2.<br /><br />Betis defender Mario Alvarez was dismissed for a second yellow card 19 minutes from time before <br />Alexis Sanchez ran on to a Xavi pass and fired a 75th-minute third goal and Messi scored from the spot in the 86th following a Betis handball in the area.<br /><br />With just under half the season played, Real have 46 points from 18 matches thanks to their 2-1 comeback win at Real Mallorca on Saturday, with Barca on 41.<br /><br />Valencia, who lost 1-0 at home to Real Sociedad on Saturday, are seven points behind the Catalans in third.<br /><br />Real's success in Mallorca was a club record 11th straight victory away from home in all competitions and they host Barca, whom they beat 1-0 in last year's final, in a King's Cup quarterfinal first leg on Wednesday.<br /><br />Athletic Bilbao improved their chances of playing in Europe next season when Fernando Amorebieta, Fernando Llorente and Mikel San Jose secured a 3-0 win at home to Levante earlier on Sunday.<br /><br />Marcelo Bielsa's side climbed to fifth on 26 points, level with Osasuna but ahead on goal difference after the Pamplona-based club lost 2-0 at home to Racing Santander, their first defeat in seven games.<br /><br />Malaga slipped to eighth, level with Sevilla and Espanyol on 25 points, after they were beaten 2-1 at struggling Sporting Gijon. <br /><br />Atletico Madrid thumped struggling Villarreal 3-0, a first victory in four matches for the capital's second club, putting them 10th on 23 points.<br /></p>