Lionel Messi smashed through the 300-goal mark with a brace as Barcelona crushed Rayo Vallecano 5-0 in Madrid on Saturday to go three points clear at the top of La Liga.
David Villa, Xavi Hernandez and Cesc Fabregas got the other goals to put the pressure back onto second-placed Atletico Madrid who entertain Osasuna on Sunday.
Messi’s goals were the 300th and 301st of his career, a total made up of 270 for Barca and 31 for Argentina in only 419 matches.
They also took him to 13 in the league this season and 73 in all competitions in 2012.
That’s just two behind Pele’s 75 for Santos and Brazil in 1959, and only 12 shy of Gerd Mueller’s all-time best calendar year record of 85 goals for Bayern Munich and West Germany in 1972.
Rayo started brightly and had claims for a penalty turned down on eight minutes when Fabregas appeared to hold back Leo Baptistao. Rayo were pressuring the Catalans and it took until the 19th minute for Barca to have their first shot when Messi drove wide.
However, a minute later, Barcelona were ahead.
The chance came from nothing when Fabregas picked up a loose ball and played in Villa with a probing pass that the Spanish national team’s all-time top scorer finished first time with his right foot.
Fabregas was the supplier again for Villa seven minutes later, but this time his shot was saved by Ruben Martinez in the Rayo goal.
Within two minutes of the restart, Messi had doubled the lead. Xavi and Fabregas then added two more in two minutes with 10 minutes remaining.
With two minutes left, Messi raced onto a Fabregas pass to get his second and his side’s fifth.
David Villa, Xavi Hernandez and Cesc Fabregas got the other goals to put the pressure back onto second-placed Atletico Madrid who entertain Osasuna on Sunday.
Messi’s goals were the 300th and 301st of his career, a total made up of 270 for Barca and 31 for Argentina in only 419 matches.
They also took him to 13 in the league this season and 73 in all competitions in 2012.
That’s just two behind Pele’s 75 for Santos and Brazil in 1959, and only 12 shy of Gerd Mueller’s all-time best calendar year record of 85 goals for Bayern Munich and West Germany in 1972.
Rayo started brightly and had claims for a penalty turned down on eight minutes when Fabregas appeared to hold back Leo Baptistao. Rayo were pressuring the Catalans and it took until the 19th minute for Barca to have their first shot when Messi drove wide.
However, a minute later, Barcelona were ahead.
The chance came from nothing when Fabregas picked up a loose ball and played in Villa with a probing pass that the Spanish national team’s all-time top scorer finished first time with his right foot.
Fabregas was the supplier again for Villa seven minutes later, but this time his shot was saved by Ruben Martinez in the Rayo goal.
Within two minutes of the restart, Messi had doubled the lead. Xavi and Fabregas then added two more in two minutes with 10 minutes remaining.
With two minutes left, Messi raced onto a Fabregas pass to get his second and his side’s fifth.