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(CNN) -- Two more goals from Lionel Messi, taking him to 50 goals in all competitions in a remarkable season, saw Barcelona win 2-0 at Racing Santander on Sunday to close the gap on Spanish leaders Real Madrid back to 10 points.
Fresh from bagging an astonishing five goals in the 7-1 Champions League rout of Bayer Leverkusen in midweek, the Argentine maestro again proved the catalyst for another Barcelona win as the defending Spanish champions kept within range of Jose Mourinho's side, who beat Real Betis 3-2 on Saturday.
Racing appointed Alvaro Cervera as their new coach last weekend in an attempt to arrest a slide that has seen them drop into the relegation zone after going eight matches without a victory.
Messi hits record five in Barcelona rout
However, they always looked second best against a Barca side, who went ahead in the 29th minute when Messi slid home to score from close range after being set up by Cesc Fabregas on the right.
Lionel Messi made history on Wednesday by becoming the first player to score five goals in a European Champions League match as Barcelona thrashed Bayer Leverkusen 7-1. The Argentine was previously one of a select few to have grabbed four goals in the modern format of Europe's premier club competition.
Champions League goalscoring records
And Fabregas also played a hand in the second goal -- the former Arsenal midfielder earning a 56th minute penalty after being fouled by Domingo Cisma, with Messi making no mistake from the spot.
Barca wasted further chances to extend their advantage, but Messi missed a one-on-one opportunity for his hat-trick, while Juan Cuenca struck the post.
Of his 50 goals this season, Messi has scored 30 in the Primera Liga, meaning he still trails Cristiano Ronaldo by two goals in the Spanish golden boot standings.
Pep Guardiola's side are now a massive 24 points clear of third-placed Valencia, who squandered a two-goal lead before being held 2-2 by Real Mallorca.
Valencia, who have won just one of their last four matches, went ahead through Tino Costa's deflected shot and doubled their advantage early in the second half when a mistake from Mallorca goalkeeper Dudu Aouate allowed Aritz Aduriz to score.
But Emilio Nsue and Victor Casadesus turned things around for the visitors and Valencia ended the match with 10 men after Costa was dismissed for a two-footed challenge.
Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid and Espanyol kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.
Nigeria international Kalu Uche scored a hat-trick as Espanyol crushed Rayo Vallecano 5-1, while Atletico beat Granada 2-0.
Atletico and Espanyol lie eighth and ninth in the table respectively, a point behind seventh-placed Athletico Bilbao -- who slumped to a 2-1 defeat at Osasuna.
Bilbao failed to kick on from Thursday's impressive 3-2 Europa League victory at Manchester United.
Osasuna took the lead when Ander Iturraspe headed a free-kick into his own goal after nine minutes and Raul Garcia doubled the lead before Spain striker Fernando Llorente pulled a goal back for the visitors.
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Only Spanish star Raul has bettered Filippo Inzaghi's tally of 70 goals in European competition, but the former Italy striker's less-heralded younger brother Simone is the only member of their family to score four times in a Champions League match. He did it in Lazio's 5-1 win against Marseille in 2000.
Dado Prso grabbed four goals for Monaco in what became the highest-scoring match in Champions League history. The Croat helped the team from the principality to an 8-3 win over Spain's Deportivo la Coruna in 2003.
Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy is the second-highest scorer in European Cup and Champions League history with 60 goals, behind Raul. He found the net four times while playing for Manchester United in a 4-1 win over Sparta Prague in 2004.
One goal behind Van Nistelrooy on the overall list is Ukraine striker Andriy Shevchenko. He scored four times in AC Milan's 4-0 away to Turkey's Fenerbahce in 2005.
Messi's first four-goal tally in the Champions League came in 2010 as Barca beat Arsenal 4-1 in a quarterfinal second leg.
Lyon's Bafetimbi Gomis scored four goals in a Champions League match this season, as the French team squeezed into the knockout stages with a 7-1 win against Dinamo Zagreb.
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