<p>Carles Puyol's howler gifted the visitors an equaliser after Argentina forward Messi had put Barca ahead in the 17th minute before Bojan Krkic and substitute Pedro netted with clinical second-half strikes. <br /><br />Messi grabbed a fourth in added time at a rain-lashed Nou Camp when he controlled a Daniel Alves pass and lifted the ball over Tenerife goalkeeper Sergio Aragoneses for his 31st league goal of the campaign. <br /><br />With two matches left, Barca have a La Liga record 93 points, four clear of second-placed Real Madrid, who have a game in hand and can cut the gap back to one with a win at Champions League hopefuls Real Mallorca on Wednesday. <br />Barca's points total from 36 matches surpasses the 92 accumulated by Real under Fabio Capello in the 1996-97 season when there were 22 teams rather than 20. <br />Barca's final two games are away to fifth-placed Sevilla and home to relegation-threatened Real Valladolid, while Real play Athletic Bilbao, who are fighting for a Europa League spot, at home and struggling Malaga away. <br /><br />Guardiola's side took early control on a slick surface and Brazil right back Alves fluffed one good chance before providing the cross that led to Messi's opener. Messi chipped in a delicate shot from close range. that evaded desperate lunges by Aragoneses and defender Pablo Sicilia. Roman Martinez equalised six minutes before halftime. <br />Alves released Bojan to score with an angled drive in the 63rd and Pedro ran on to Messi's deflected pass to score a third that ricocheted in off Aragoneses. <br />Alves conjured another assist in the 93rd minute, Messi bringing the ball down with his left foot and finishing neatly with his right. <br /><br />Juan Mata scored twice and David Silva netted one as third-placed Valencia came from behind to beat bottom side Xerez 3-1 at the Mestalla in the late kickoff.<br />Reuters</p>
<p>Carles Puyol's howler gifted the visitors an equaliser after Argentina forward Messi had put Barca ahead in the 17th minute before Bojan Krkic and substitute Pedro netted with clinical second-half strikes. <br /><br />Messi grabbed a fourth in added time at a rain-lashed Nou Camp when he controlled a Daniel Alves pass and lifted the ball over Tenerife goalkeeper Sergio Aragoneses for his 31st league goal of the campaign. <br /><br />With two matches left, Barca have a La Liga record 93 points, four clear of second-placed Real Madrid, who have a game in hand and can cut the gap back to one with a win at Champions League hopefuls Real Mallorca on Wednesday. <br />Barca's points total from 36 matches surpasses the 92 accumulated by Real under Fabio Capello in the 1996-97 season when there were 22 teams rather than 20. <br />Barca's final two games are away to fifth-placed Sevilla and home to relegation-threatened Real Valladolid, while Real play Athletic Bilbao, who are fighting for a Europa League spot, at home and struggling Malaga away. <br /><br />Guardiola's side took early control on a slick surface and Brazil right back Alves fluffed one good chance before providing the cross that led to Messi's opener. Messi chipped in a delicate shot from close range. that evaded desperate lunges by Aragoneses and defender Pablo Sicilia. Roman Martinez equalised six minutes before halftime. <br />Alves released Bojan to score with an angled drive in the 63rd and Pedro ran on to Messi's deflected pass to score a third that ricocheted in off Aragoneses. <br />Alves conjured another assist in the 93rd minute, Messi bringing the ball down with his left foot and finishing neatly with his right. <br /><br />Juan Mata scored twice and David Silva netted one as third-placed Valencia came from behind to beat bottom side Xerez 3-1 at the Mestalla in the late kickoff.<br />Reuters</p>
