A Lionel Messi hat-trick that saw him break Gerd Mueller’s record for goals in a single European season inspired Barcelona to a 4-1 win over Malaga on Wednesday.
Messi’s tally of 68 is one better than that mustered by Mueller while playing for Bayern Munich in the 1972-73 season but his joy could be tempered later on Wednesday if bitter rivals Real Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao to take the league crown. A Real win would take them seven points clear with just two games to play.
Departing Barca coach Pep Guardiola named a strong side as the Catalans attempted to delay Madrid’s celebrations as long as possible — a defeat against fourth-placed Malaga would have handed the title to Madrid without them kicking a ball.
Barcelona went ahead on 13 minutes when Carles Puyol finished from close range after good play on the left from Messi and Andres Iniesta.
Malaga did not sit back and on 26 minutes they were level when Salomon Rondon glanced a header past Jose Pinto — replacing Victor Valdes in Barca’s goal — from a Jesus Gamez cross. On 34 minutes Barcelona went back in front as Messi made no mistake from the spot after Iniesta was tripped by Gamez.
Pinto had to block at the feet of Duda just before the interval, but on 58 minutes Messi added his second penalty after Duda had brought him down to make it 3-1.
Messi beat Mueller’s record with his third on 64 minutes when Iniesta delivered a defence-splitting pass, leaving the little Argentine to sprint onto the ball and beat the advancing Carlos Kameni in the Malaga goal.
Edu Oriol scored what could be a priceless goal as Real Zaragoza beat Levante 1-0 in a nerve-wracking 90 minutes that boosted his side’s hopes of avoiding the drop. With two games left, Zaragoza, who seemed dead and buried at one stage, are third-bottom but only three points behind Rayo Vallecano, four adrift of Villarreal and five worse off than Granada.
Levante remain in fifth position, three points behind Malaga and a Champions League place.
Real Mallorca beat Rayo Vallecano 1-0 with a Chori Castro goal that means Rayo are still in trouble and can be caught by Zaragoza and even Sporting Gijon, who would have been relegated on Wednesday if Rayo had drawn.
Atletico Madrid could only draw 1-1 at home to Real Sociedad in a result that almost ended any hope the Europa League finalists had of reaching a Champions League position.
The game’s headline protagonist was Gabi Fernandez, who fired the home side into the lead from 25 yards on 54 minutes.
The midfielder then committed two fouls in quick sucession and received his marching orders with 18 minutes left to play.
Real Sociedad piled on the pressure and the Atletico defence finally cracked in injury-time after a series of corners.
Carlos Vela bundled the ball over the line for the late leveller that leaves Atletico in sixth position and five points below the Champions League places.
