Messi inspires Blaugrana vs Mallorca and beats Pele's record

Lionel Messi scored his 55th goal of the season as 10-man Barcelona beat Mallorca 2-0 for their seventh consecutive league win. Messi, who broke Barcelona's all-time scoring record on Wednesday, netted from a poorly defended free-kick to become the first player in a top-level European league to score 55 goals in a season since Sporting Lisbon's Mário Jardel in 2002.

 Yahoo Eurosport

Xavi Hernández put the visitors ahead after 28 minutes and Messi doubled their advantage close to half-time, notching his 75th goal for club and country in 2012 – equalling the tally reached by Pelé in 1958. Cristian Tello grabbed Barça's third seconds later, and after Michael Pereira and Victor Casadesus reduced the deficit for Mallorca, Messi moved ahead of Pelé's haul with his second of the game. He now lies nine goals shy of Gerd Müller's record from 1972. Barcelona's Thiago Alcântara was sent off after receiving his second booking in the 56th minute, but Gerard Piqué volleyed in Messi's rebound off the post in the 79th to seal victory.

With Xavi Hernández on the bench, Barcelona's passing attack lacked its usual fluidity. But a horrible defensive lapse by the hosts let Messi score one of the easier goals of his record 235 for Barcelona. Various defenders failed to deal with Messi's lobbed free-kick and it bounced in the area before landing in the back of the net.

 Goal.com

Mallorca staged a mini-comeback at the start of the second half with the effervescent Pereira smashing in a half volley and Victor scoring from the spot after a handball by Sergio Busquets. However, Messi had the final say, as he has done on so many occasions for this brilliant Barcelona side, the Argentine blasting into the net on 70 minutes, following good play in the build up from substitute Alexis Sanchez. Mallorca are now on a six-match losing run in La Liga, their worst sequence of defeats since 1991-92, when they lost seven in a row. Meanwhile, Barça have extended their best ever start to a top-flight league campaign, with ten wins and a draw so far this term.

 Getty Images

Mallorca gained a numerical advantage after Thiago was shown a second yellow card for a questionable hand ball when it appeared he had used his shoulder to control the ball. But after Messi squirmed free and fired a shot off the goal frame, Piqué put the result beyond doubt when he converted the rebound. Messi has nine games left to score the ten goals to surpass Muller's 85 goals, and given his current run of form - 15 goals in 11 La Liga games - the 25-year-old is on course to usurp the German once more. The striker set another record last season when he scored 50 goals in a La Liga season, moving to the top of Barcelona's all-time top goalscorer list in the process after surpassing Cesar Rodriguez’s 57-year milestone of 232 goals in March. Barcelona manager Tito Vilanova expressed his delight at Messi's strike rate. He said: 'Leo’s records are spectacular. It’s spectacular when you think that he scores so many goals. 'Some few players reach these numbers in seven or eight seasons, he does it in one. And most of his goals are great goals.'

Report of 'El Clàsico' 2-2: Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi superstars

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo matched each other blow for blow at the Nou Camp tonight, scoring two goals apiece as Barcelona and Real Madrid battled out an entertaining draw in the first Clásico of the La Liga season. Heading into the game, Real Madrid trailed Barcelona by eight points, so this was billed as must-win win for the champions. Like they did when the two sides met in the Supercopa de España earlier this year, Madrid started off the better of the two sides and made the breakthrough midway through the first half when Ronaldo beat Víctor Valdés at his near post.

The great team rivalry between the two storied clubs, combined with the fact that these players are undoubtedly the best in the world, make a perfect storyline to follow for years to come. Ramos flashed a header just wide inside the 18th minute. That was the first good chance in the game. Iniesta attempted to reply a couple of minutes later but his effort from 20 yards out flew over the bar. 

The deadlock got broken by a very familiar name, Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese winger fired the ball at the back of the net with his left foot to give the visitors the lead midway through the first half. Benzema had a great opportunity to double the lead a few minutes later but his ball crashed off the post. It came back to Angel Di Maria who agonizingly fired it wide.

Adriano impressed in central defence, but centre-back is stretching the Brazilian's 'utility man' tag too far and he cannot be considered a solution in that role. With Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol sidelined, plus Eric Abidal out long-term and Dani Alves forced off injured, Vilanova reminded the press that he was denied his first-choice back line. But Puyol's problems are well known and Abidal has been out all year, so the argument hardly seemed convincing and had the club signed a centre-back in the summer, they surely would not be in this predicament now.

Barcelona had chances to win it late on, but Madrid had given as good as they got in the first half and should have been two up as Karim Benzema hit the post when he really should have scored shortly after Ronaldo's opener. Mourinho's men took the game to Tito's team and took advantage of some poor positioning from Barca's defence and midfield in the second goal. Vilanova has received much praise for his tactical nous but on occasions last night, his players were all over the place - except where they needed to be.

In the end, it was problems in defence which blighted Barca's campaign in 2011-12 - when the Catalans captured four trophies but missed out on La Liga and the Champions League. Already there are concerns this term, although their problems have been masked by their near-perfect start in the Primera Division. This battle might have hit its peak on Sunday when Barcelona and Real Madrid competed in the latest edition of El Clasico. The match ended in a 2-2 draw, with each forward scoring both goals for his team.