Lionel Messi scored twice and David Villa once as Barcelona beat Rayo Vallecano 3-1 at Camp Nou. Barcelona have a 13 point lead at the top of La Liga.
Lionel Messi struck twice to extend his incredible scoring streak to 18 consecutive league games, but it was his understanding with David Villa that was the highlight of the match.
Villa got the ball rolling 25 minutes in by confidently slotting home a feed from Messi, who himself slid in the second five minutes before half-time after latching onto the Spain striker’s through ball.
The Argentine would clip home a brilliant third shortly after the hour mark, though Barca were not able to hold onto their clean sheet when Raul Tamudo poked home a consolation for Rayo with 20 minutes to go.?
The Catalan giants re-opened their 13 point lead at the top of the table over second placed Real Madrid, their arch rivals.
Rayo began the match brightly, matching the passing output of the Catalans with some impressive possession of their own.
But the visitors could not find a cutting edge to match their control of the ball, which would end up costing them when a sweeping counterattack saw Messi drive half the length of the pitch before slipping in Villa for an emphatic finish.
Five minutes before the break, the Messi-Villa combination worked wonders again as the latter took his time to find the overlapping run of the former, who slotted a first-time finish into the bottom corner.
But the third goal arrived via the same two players that had tormented Rayo all game long. Villa did well to find Messi, who clipped delicately over Ruben Martinez.
With 20 minutes to go, Rayo substitute Tamudo ghosted into the six-yard-area to turn home a low cross from Piti.
Then Rayo were indebted to Martinez in goal for tipping over a stinging drive from Messi. Rayo had two late chances to make it interesting, but Tamudo drilled wide while Piti’s long-rang drive was saved by Pinto.
