Lionel Messi was in scintillating form as he scored a goal and set up another to help 10-man Barcelona beat Getafe 2-1 in the Spanish league Saturday. Messi scored his 16th league goal of the season in the sixth minute, curling in a shot with his left foot after Yaya Toure had set him up following a corner. In the 67th, the Argentina forward dribbled from the halfway line into the goalkeeper's area before laying the ball on for Xavi Hernandez to score. Roberto Soldado scored for Getafe with an injury-time penalty after Rafael Marquez was sent off for bringing down Kepa Blanco. The result sends Barcelona eight points clear at the top with 55 points. Real Madrid, second on 47, was playing Espanyol ate saturday. Third-place Valencia beat Valladolid 2-0 earlier to reach 42 points. Messi nearly scored again in the 16th when he managed to control the ball yet could only manage a weak shot. Two minutes later he threatened yet again after swapping passes with Maxwell and then Zlatan Ibrahimovic, although goalkeeper Jordi Codina got a foot to the Argentina forward's strike. With the goal lead and control of possession Barcelona looked comfortable. However, the champion suffered a setback in the 25th when defender Gerard Pique was ejected for a late tackle on Getafe's Rafael Lopez. Xavi Hernandez was booked for dissent after a lengthy protest by Barcelona's players. With Getafe seeing more of the ball, Nicolas “Miku” Ladislao drew two fine saves in a row from Victor Valdes. Barcelona struck back when Ibrahimovic rounded Codina and his goalbound shot from a tight angle on the right was just intercepted by Lopez. Early in the second half Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola bolstered the midfield to make up for the numerical disadvantage, replacing Ibrahimovic, who has not scored in the last five league games, with Sergio Busquets. Seydou Keita should have scored soon after, shooting wide when through with only Codina to beat from close range. At Valencia's Mestalla Stadium, Ever Banega found space on the edge of the area and shot into the top-left-hand corner in the eighth. The Argentina midfielder was involved in the second goal, crossing to David Villa who found the net with a powerful header in the 30th. Diego Costa was Valladolid's biggest threat and the striker appealed for a penalty in the 53rd after falling under Carlos Marchena's challenge, although referee Rubinos Perez waved play on.
