The heroics of the FIFA Ballon d'Or winner helped Barcelona to break Real Madrid's 50-year-old record of 15 straight league victories.

Messi, 23, opened the scoring with a trademark low finish from the edge of the box after 17 minutes, before adding a second from close range just short of the half-hour mark and scrambled home a third late in the game to take Barcelona's lead over their rivals from the capital into double figures.

Real Madrid play Real Sociedad at the Bernabeu tomorrow.

Third-placed Villarreal lost 1-0 at home to Levante, whose win bolstered their hopes of avoiding relegation.

Villarreal had claimed 31 points from a possible 33 at their El Madrigal home this season and would have moved to within three points of second-placed Real Madrid with a victory.

However, Levante, who had picked up just five points away from home coming into the game, earned the spoils thanks to Valmiro Valdo's breakaway goal just after half-time.

Athletic Bilbao jumped above Espanyol into fifth place thanks to a 3-0 home victory over Sporting Gijon.

The game was shaped by the 15th-minute dismissal of Sporting defender Gregory Arnolin.

He gave away a penalty and was shown a second yellow card for hauling down Fernando Llorente, and David Lopez converted from 12 yards for the opening goal.

Gaizka Toquero scored the Basques' second goal after 26 minutes, and Llorente wrapped up a deserved victory 17 minutes from full-time.

Espanyol were beaten 3-2 by Almeria, who like Levante remain in the relegation zone but are now within striking distance of several teams above them.

Almeria swept into a 3-0 lead in just 19 minutes, with goals from Marcelo Silva, Kalu Uche and Hernan Bernadello.

Joan Verdu pulled a goal back for Espanyol before half-time, and Alvaro Vazquez made it 3-2 early in the second half, but Almeria held on to their slender lead.

Adrian Colunga scored twice as Getafe romped to a 4-1 victory over Deportivo La Coruna at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez to move up to eighth place.

The striker found the net in the 19th and 26th minutes and Miku made it 3-0 by half-time as the hosts dominated.

Pedro Rios added a fourth goal before Riki netted a consolation penalty for Depor.

Osasuna stand just one point outside the relegation zone after their 1-1 draw with Real Mallorca. Osasuna went ahead after eight minutes when Miguel Flano scored, but Gonzalo Castro equalised in the 37th minute.

Two more teams perilously stationed just above the bottom three played out another 1-1 draw, with Real Zaragoza held at home by Racing Santander.

Zaragoza were on a three-game winning league run but fell behind when Christian scored for the visitors in the 14th minute. However they secured a point with an equaliser from Said Boutahar five minutes before half-time.