Barcelona’s Lionel Messi hit his 400th career goal for the La Liga leaders deep into stoppage time to seal a 2-0 win over a Valencia side that will rue their missed chances on Saturday.
Barca’s Uruguay striker Luis Suarez continued his lethal form with a clinical low strike inside the area after being set up by Messi with less than a minute on the clock.
His goal followed the midweek double that helped clinch a 3-1 lead in the Champions League quarter-final first leg at Paris St Germain to give Barca the lead from their first attack.
Messi then scored on the counter-attack deep into added time for his landmark 400th goal, knocking the ball into the net after his first shot was saved by keeper Diego Alves.
Barca are now five points clear of Real Madrid who have 73 and host Malaga later on Saturday when third-placed Atletico Madrid can open a four-point lead over Valencia, in fourth with 65 points, when they take on Deportivo La Coruna.
Valencia had missed a golden chance to equalise in the 10th minute when Dani Parejo’s penalty was saved by Claudio Bravo after Gerard Pique had barged into the back of Rodrigo Moreno.
Valencia’s Paco Alcacer also hit a post as Barcelona hung on and then in a second half which was played at a slower tempo Messi also struck the woodwork with a free-kick.
“These are moments when you can get involved and save the situation,” Bravo told reporters.
“We were up against a very strong side in all areas of the pitch and it followed a match in Paris where we had to put in a lot of work.
“Sometimes you have to do what you can to win a game when your game isn’t at its best. We will keep going with the same approach and work on specific aspects.”
They faced a solid Valencia side that were unbeaten in 10 matches and their heads did not drop following the setback they suffered when Suarez opened the scoring so early.
