MADRID: Barcelona go into the brief Spanish winter break on top of La Liga after a glittering show from Lionel Messi helped the defending champions beat Alaves 4-1 on Saturday.

Real Madrid, who drew 0-0 at Camp Nou in the midweek Clasico, can draw level top on 39 points but behind on goal difference if they win their game in hand.

Seville are assured third place over Christmas on 34 points after their 2-0 win at Real Mallorca.

France World Cup winner Antoine Griezmann put Barca ahead with a lovely snap-shot from outside the area after a slick exchange with Messi on 14 minutes.

Messi had already had a better strike ruled out by a harsh VAR decision, while Mohican-haired Chile forward Arturo Vidal had tried a dramatic overhead effort that the Alaves goalkeeper just about stopped with his feet.

Vidal bagged a second just before half-time when put into open space on the right as Barcelona overwhelmed the visitors, but they should have gone into the break more than 2-0 ahead.

Pere Pons pulled one back on 56 minute for Alaves with neither Gerard Pique nor the returning Samuel Umtiti on hand as his header flew home from close range.

Even with four defenders around him, Messi was unstoppable on 69 minutes as he unleashed a trademark left foot strike from outside the box.

The goal illustrated why the diminutive attacker recently won a sixth Ballon d’Or.

“It’s an enormous advantage having Leo [Messi], he can score you a goal from anywhere at any time,” said Barca coach Ernesto Valverde.

A sweetly-struck Luis Suarez penalty made it 4-1 on 75 minutes.

Messi goes into the break as La Liga’s top marksman with 13 goals ahead of Real’s Karim Benzema on 12.

There was a Latin American flavour to Sevilla’s 2-0 win at Mallorca earlier on Saturday as Brazilian defender Diego Carlos scored one and provided the other goal for the Argentine Ever Banega.

The victory ensured the Andalusians go into the break firmly in the Champions League qualifying spots.

As for Mallorca, who only have 15 points at the half-way stage, they are playing with fire just five points clear of rock-bottom Espanyol.

Valencia salvaged a 1-1 draw at Valladolid thanks to Manu Vallejo’s goal four minutes into stoppage time. The hosts had opened the scoring with an 83rd-minute goal by Sergi Guardiola.

Valencia, who had won three games in a row in all competitions, moved to seventh place. Valladolid winless in six league matches are in 14th place.

Moi Gomez scored early in the second half to give Villarreal a 1-0 win over 10-man Getafe, ending the team’s three-game winless streak at home.

Fourth-place Getafe, who had won three in a row, had defender Mathas Olivera sent off in the 61st. Villarreal moved to ninth place.

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2019