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Barcelona revenge only defeat with win at Hercules

Pedro Rodriguez celebrates his first half goal for Barcelona in Alicante.
Pedro Rodriguez celebrates his first half goal for Barcelona in Alicante.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Barcelona go seven points clear in La Liga with 2-0 win at Hercules
  • Pedro Rodriguez and a late Lionel Messi double for Barca in Alicante
  • Messi has scored 37 goals for the Spanish champions this season
  • Hercules beat Barcelona in the Camp Nou earlier this season
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(CNN) -- Barcelona revenged their early season defeat to Hercules with a 3-0 win in their La Liga match in Alicante on Saturday night.

The victory leaves Barcelona seven points clear of arch-rivals Real Madrid in the Spanish title race after a record equaling 15th straight league win.

Real Madrid will hope to cut the gap again when they travel to Osasuna Sunday with new loan signing Emmanuel Adebayor hoping to make his debut.

Hercules, shock 2-0 winners at the Camp Nou, Barca's only reverse in the league this season, might have gone ahead midway through the first half but former French international David Trezeguet missed with the goal gaping.

They were made to pay for his profligacy as Pedro Rodriguez slammed home his shot in the dying moments of the first half.

It was the Spain international's 12th goal in 12 La Liga games this term for the freescoring Catalan giants.

Pedro had the ball in the net again in the second half again but his effort was ruled offside while Lionel Messi shaved the post and blasted wide with another effort.

But after the home side's Francisco Farinos was sent off for his second yellow card in the 85th minute, Messi conjured up two further goals against a tiring defense.

It took his tally to the season to 37 and his first was Barcelona's 400th goal in the reign of coach Pep Guardiola.

In other action Saturday, promoted Levante moved off the bottom with a 2-0 home win over Getafe.

Valdo put Levante ahead on 47 minutes before Ecuador striker Felipe Caicedo, on loan from Manchester City, sealed the victory.

Malaga replace Levante in last place after a 2-1 loss at home to fellow strugglers Real Zaragoza.

French striker Florent Sinama Pongolle, on loan from Sporting Lisbon, scored Zaragoza's precious 86th-minute winner.