Messi scored twice in Barcelona's victory

Barcelona FC got an unquestionable 3-0 victory on Sunday at second from bottom Real Mallorca to go 12 points ahead at the top of the Primera Liga.

Coach Frank Rijkaard's saw his team suffer their first defeat in 25 games when they lost 4-2 at Real Zaragoza in the King's Cup on Thursday.

But Barcelona bounced back to make it 14 consecutive wins in the league against a tough Mallorca after Ludovic Giuly opened the scoring six minutes before the break.

The best of the night was Argentine striker Lionel Messi, who came off the bench to make sure of the points with two goals after Mallorca had defender Eduardo Tuzzio sent off in the 72nd minute.

It's good to mention that Barcelona have 52 points from 21 games. Second-placed Valencia are on 40 points after they scored twice in the last seven minutes to earn a 2-2 draw at home against Zaragoza.

Sweden forward Henrik Larsson, deputising for leading scorer Samuel Eto'o who is with Cameroon at the African Nations Cup, had three opportunities to open the scoring for Barca before Giuly struck in Mallorca.

After that, Deco picked out the Frenchman's diagonal run behind the defence with a long pass which Giuly controlled and fired low into the corner.

Also, Silvinho fed Messi from the left flank in the 75th minute, and after dribbling into a crowded area the youngster fired low into the far corner.

Just one minute later he proved he was fallible as he skied the ball over an open goal.

But in the 81st minute he made no mistake from Ronaldinho's pass into the area, as he raced through and lifted the ball over the advancing Miguel Angel Moya.