Supersub Lionel Messi scored twice as nine-man Barcelona, with their 5,000th Spanish league goal, came from behind to beat Racing Santander 2-1 and move 12 points clear of Real Madrid on Sunday.
A Nikola Zigic penalty had put Racing in front on 56 minutes before Messi changed the game, equalising just five minutes after coming on before scoring an 81st minute winner.
Messi's personal goals tally for the season is now 16 while Barcelona, unbeaten in 20 games, recorded a ninth straight league win.
"You always know that Messi is capable of creating a goal and fortunately for us he created two," Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola said.
"We had dominated but without creating much going forward against a well-organised Racing side."
Valencia did their Champions League qualifying hopes the world of good with a 3-2 victory over Almeria.
David Villa scored twice to notch up his 16th and 17th goals of the campaign as Valencia moved a point behind third-placed Sevilla and three points ahead of Villarreal, who slipped to a 3-0 defeat at Deportivo La Coruna.
Valencia coach Unai Emery praised veteran goalkeeper Cesar Sanchez, a recent signing from Tottenham, for a brilliant late save to deny Almeria an equaliser.
"Cesar Sanchez is going to help us when he plays and also when he doesn't," said Emery.
Sevilla defeated Valencia to reach the Kings Cup semi-final in midweek but came back down to earth with a 1-0 loss against ten-man Sporting Gijon.
Sporting played with one man less for over an hour after Roberto Canella was sent off but Sevilla could find no way back after Diego Castro's opener and now trail Real by six points.
"It was a vital win for us as we try and climb up the table," said goalscorer Castro. "We had to work so hard with 10 men but the crowd really got behind us."
Sevilla are in action against Athletic Bilbao in the Kings Cup on Wednesday with favourites Barcelona taking on Real Mallorca.
Barca were below par for a while against Racing who went ahead when Zigic cooly converted a 56th minute spot-kick.
Guardiola responded by throwing on Messi, who had been rested, for Sergi Busquets on the hour mark and it quickly paid dividends.
Five minutes after coming on Messi equalised from close range after Xavi's header had come off the crossbar.
Messi then struck again controlling on his chest before firing in a right-footed shot for Barcelona's 5,000th league goal.
"He (Messi) had two half chances and scored both of them," Racing coach Juan Ramon Muniz said.
Barcelona finished the match with nine men after Rafael Marquez and Gerard Pique were sent off late on for cynical fouls.
Real had defeated Numancia 2-0 on Saturday for a sixth successive league victory and must again be frustrated that Barca collected maximum points.
The game saw history made as Real captain Raul scored his 307th goal for the club to equal Alfredo di Stefano's all-time goalscoring record.
"Raul could certainly get 400 or 450 goals as he is still young," di Stefano told daily Marca. "He is only 31 and could play until he is 37 or 38."
Atletico Madrid's miserable year continued as they fell to a 2-1 home defeat against Valladolid on Sunday.
Atletico have yet to win in 2009 and were jeered off the pitch at the Vicente Calderon.
"Am I worried about my job? I have a contract that I signed in front of two others and they haven't told me that it will end before the set date," explained Atletico coach Javier Aguirre.
"I have faith in myself and what I am doing and what the players are doing too. I hope that on May 31 (the final day of the season) we are talking about something else."
Source: AFP Global Edition
