Star striker Messi scored a late goal to give FC Barcelona a 1-0 win to Atletico Madrid to keep them at the top of the Liga Santander table ahead of Real Madrid.
The Argentinean played a one-two with Luis Suarez on the edge of the Atletico area before curling a left foot shot into the back of the Atletico net to decide an entertaining game that could have gone either way as rain poured down in Madrid on Sunday evening, reports Xinhua news agency.
Both sides had chances to win the game with Barca keeper Marc Andre Ter Stegen making two brilliant first half saves, while Gerard Pique, who had to leave the pitch with an injury in the closing minutes, saw a header bounce back off the crossbar.