Messi strikes twice in 2nd half to keep Barcelona near top

Lionel Messi helped to keep Barcelona near the top of the Spanish league on Sunday, scoring two second-half goals in a 3-2 win over Valencia.

The away victory moved Barcelona within two points of leader Atlético Madrid ahead of their match at the Camp Nou Stadium next weekend. A win will give Ronald Koeman’s team the league lead for the first time this season.

Antoine Griezmann also scored for Barcelona, which is tied on points with second-place Madrid with four rounds to go. Madrid has a better head-to-head tiebreaker against both rivals at the top. Sevilla also remains in the title race. It can move within three points of the lead if it beats Athletic Bilbao at home on Monday. Sevilla visits Madrid next weekend.

Barcelona's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring his side's 3rd goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valencia and Barcelona at the Mestalla stadium in Valencia, Spain, Sunday, May 2, 2021. (AP PhotoAlberto Saiz)

Barcelona made the trip to Valencia under pressure after both Atlético and Madrid won their matches on Saturday — Atlético edged Elche 1-0 and Madrid defeated Osasuna 2-0. The Catalan club was coming off a shock 2-1 home loss to Granada on Thursday, when it could have grabbed sole possession of the lead.

The pressure increased Sunday after Valencia opened the scoring at the Mestalla Stadium with Gabriel Paulista's goal in the 50th minute. The midfielder beat Barcelona defender Clément Lenglet to the ball for an easy header by the far post. Video review was used to check on a possible foul away from the ball but the goal stood.

Messi led Barcelona's recovery.

Barcelona's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring his side's 3rd goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valencia and Barcelona at the Mestalla stadium in Valencia, Spain, Sunday, May 2, 2021. (AP PhotoAlberto Saiz)

The Argentina star equalized in the 57th in the fallout of his own penalty kick after his poor shot from the spot was saved by Valencia goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen. Barcelona midfielders Sergio Busquets and Pedri González both had attempts before Messi got to the loose ball and scored from close range.

Griezmann netted the go-ahead goal six minutes later off another save from Cillessen. The former Barcelona goalkeeper stopped a header from Frenkie De Jong but Griezmann came in unmarked to score easily.

Messi’s second goal came with a beautifully struck free kick that curled over the wall and hit the post before going into the net in the 69th. Messi increased his tally at the top of the league’s scoring charts, leaving him on 28 goals.

Barcelona's Lionel Messi scores his side's 3rd goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valencia and Barcelona at the Mestalla stadium in Valencia, Spain, Sunday, May 2, 2021. (AP PhotoAlberto Saiz)

Valencia pulled one closer with a long-range strike by Carlos Soler in the 83rd but it couldn't find the equalizer.

OTHER RESULTS

Villarreal moved to sixth place by beating Getafe 1-0 at home thanks to a late winner from Yéremi Pino. Villarreal coach Unai Emery rested some regular starters ahead of the second leg of the Europa League semifinals against Arsenal on Thursday. The Spanish club won the first leg 2-1 at home.

Barcelona's Lionel Messi throws a penalty and scores his side's first goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valencia and Barcelona at the Mestalla stadium in Valencia, Spain, Sunday, May 2, 2021. (AP PhotoAlberto Saiz)

Seventh-place Real Betis was held 1-1 at relegation-threatened Valladolid, while Granada followed its surprise win over Barcelona with a 1-0 home loss against Cádiz.

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Barcelona's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valencia and Barcelona at the Mestalla stadium in Valencia, Spain, Sunday, May 2, 2021. (AP PhotoAlberto Saiz)

Valencia's Gabriel Paulista celebrates with team mates scoring the opening goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valencia and Barcelona at the Mestalla stadium in Valencia, Spain, Sunday, May 2, 2021. (AP PhotoAlberto Saiz)

Barcelona's Lionel Messi scores his side's first goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valencia and Barcelona at the Mestalla stadium in Valencia, Spain, Sunday, May 2, 2021. (AP PhotoAlberto Saiz)

Barcelona defeated Real Sociedad 1-0 on Thursday to make sure Real Madrid will have to wait at least another week to celebrate the Spanish league title.

Barcelona's away victory reduced its gap to Madrid to 15 points, and it can further cut it to 12 points on Sunday if it defeats Rayo Vallecano at home in a game it has in hand.

Barcelona and Madrid, which won 3-1 at Osasuna on Wednesday, will have five games left. Madrid, trying to clinch its second title in three seasons, doesn’t play this weekend.

Barcelona's plaers celebrate after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the opening goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)

“Madrid was lucky that it took a while for us to join the fight,” Barcelona defender Dani Alves said.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored with a close-range header in the 11th minute to give Barcelona its first win after consecutive home losses against Cádiz in the league and Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League. The Catalan club had not lost two straight home games since 2003.

The victory against Sociedad left Barcelona tied on points with Sevilla, which defeated Levante earlier Thursday to stay in position to secure a Champions League place next season. Second place also is important as it guarantees a spot in the Spanish Super Cup.

Barcelona's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates after scoring the opening goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)

“We suffered a lot but in the end we got three golden points and stayed in second place,” Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández said. “It was an important victory even though we didn’t play too well.”

Defending champion Atlético Madrid, which was held to a 0-0 home draw against relegation-threatened Granada on Wednesday, stayed two points behind Barcelona and Sevilla. Fifth-place Real Betis trailed Atlético by four points and was two ahead of Sociedad.

Sociedad has not beaten Barcelona in 12 straight league matches. The Basque Country club hadn't lost in seven consecutive league games at home, all of them with clean sheets.

Barcelona's Dani Alves, left, fights for the ball with Real Sociedad's Diego Rico during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)

Barcelona extended its unbeaten streak on the road to 13 league matches, having won five in a row.

Barcelona defender Ronald Araújo left injured early in the second half, and the team's other central defender, Gerard Piqué, appeared to get injured in the first half but stayed until being substituted in the 82nd while being loudly jeered by the Sociedad fans.

Piqué, who also heard some boos every time he touched the ball during the game, has been in the spotlight in recent days after stolen audio leaked to the media exposed a series of conversations between him and Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales talking about behind-the-scenes negotiations on several issues.

Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong, left, vies for the ball with Real Sociedad's Igor Zubeldia during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)

SEVILLA RECOVERS

Sevilla improved its chances of making it to the Champions League with a 3-2 win at second-to-last-place Levante.

Jesús “Tecatito” Corona scored two first-half goals and Jules Koundé added another after halftime.

Barcelona's Dani Alves reacts during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)

Levante captain José Luis Morales had to be comforted by teammates and opponents after the match because of a missed penalty kick that could have equalized the game at 2-2 in the second half. Koundé gave Sevilla a 3-1 lead about 10 minutes later before Roberto Soldado pulled the hosts closer again.

Levante stayed tied with last-place Alavés, six points from safety.

CÁDIZ FALLS AGAIN

Barcelona's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, left, tries to score next to Real Sociedad's goalkeeper Alex Remiro during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)

Cádiz followed up its stunning 1-0 win against Barcelona at the Camp Nou Stadium with a 3-2 home loss against Athletic Bilbao.

The result left Cádiz just outside the relegation zone.

Eighth-place Athletic was up 3-0 by the 33rd. It played a man down from the 71st after Mikel Vesga was sent off.

Barcelona's head coach Xavi Hernandez gestures during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)

RELIEF FOR RAYO

Rayo won 1-0 at Espanyol to end a 13-match winless streak in the league and move closer to salvation.

Sergi Guardiola scored in the 42nd to leave the southern Madrid club seven points from the relegation zone in 14th place. Espanyol, sitting in 12th-place, was two points ahead of Rayo.

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