January 16, 2012

The Barcelona playmaker Xavi celebrated his 400th league appearance for the club by scoring the opening goal and Lionel Messi struck twice in a 4-2 home win for the La Liga champions over 10-man Real Betis on Sunday.

Xavi, the first Barça player to reach the 400 milestone, clipped the ball high into an unguarded net in the 10th minute at the Nou Camp after a Cesc Fábregas shot had ricocheted back off a post.

Pep Guardiola’s side were cruising when Messi added a second two minutes later but Barça conceded their first league goals at home this season when a battling Betis struck either side of the break to make it 2-2.

The Betis defender Mario Alvarez was dismissed for a second yellow card 19 minutes from time before Alexis Sánchez ran on to a Xavi pass and fired a 75th-minute third and Messi scored from the spot in the 86th.

With just under half the season played Real have 46 points from 18 matches thanks to their 2-1 comeback win at Real Mallorca on Saturday, five ahead of Barça.

Valencia, who lost 1-0 at home to Real Sociedad on Saturday, are seven points behind Barça in third.

Real’s success in Mallorca was a club record 11th straight victory away from home in all competitions and they host Barça, whom they beat 1-0 in last year’s final, in a Copa del Rey quarter-final first leg on Wednesday.

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