Lionel Messi scored and defending champion Barcelona beat Real Madrid 2-0 to take a three-point lead in the Spanish league race with its fourth straight victory in the rivalry.
Messi, coming off a four-goal performance in the Champions League, put Barcelona ahead after 33 minutes by sending a shot past goalkeeper Iker Casillas for his 40th goal of the season.
Xavi Hernandez, who set up Messi for the opener, turned playmaker again in the 56th as he sent Pedro Rodriguez free on Casillas to curl a left-footed shot past the goalkeeper.
Barcelona won consecutive games at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium for the first time in its history to lead with 80 points and seven games to play.
``The fact is that we came to the leader's stadium and won,'' said coach Pep Guardiola, who has led Barcelona to its longest winning streak against Madrid. ``We won a very serious game, showing a lot of calm.''
Barcelona won 1-0 at the Camp Nou in December.
Messi again outshone Cristiano Ronaldo in a matchup of two of the best players in the world.
``Barca is superior to Real Madrid, that's what's important,'' Messi said after scoring his seventh career goal against Madrid, while Ronaldo remained scoreless in five meetings. ``These are three important points since we're leaders again.''
Messi picked himself up from a tackle to gather possession and feed Xavi, who floated a pass right back to him as he burst into the area. Messi controlled with his chest to move across and use his right foot to send the ball between Casillas and defender Raul Albiol to score.
Messi, who scored four times against Arsenal lead Barcelona to the Champions League semifinals, leads the league with 27 goals.
Pedro doubled the lead with a well-timed run that came moments after Ronaldo tested Victor Valdes for the first time. The Portugal forward failed to penetrate from the left wing throughout and Madrid never looked capable of coming back after Valdes saved Rafael Van der Vaart's 57th-minute chance.
``I feel a mix of everything but mostly frustration and impotence,'' Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini said. ``Barca wasn't the team we recognized from other games. We had the right to threaten goal more often.''
