Atletico chase Barca, Real Madrid escape

SundayLevante 1 - 2 Real MadridAtlético 2 - 0 Getafe Mallorca 2 - 4 BarcelonaAthletic 2 - 1 Sevilla     Valladolid 1 - 1 Valencia

Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Lionel Messi scored twice to help lift Barcelona. Net photo.

SundayLevante 1 - 2 Real MadridAtlético 2 - 0 Getafe Mallorca 2 - 4 BarcelonaAthletic 2 - 1 Sevilla     Valladolid 1 - 1 ValenciaMADRID – Barcelona extended their near-perfect start thanks to another Lionel Messi double but again suffered the defensive lapses that have plagued them this season in a nervy 4-2 La Liga win at Real Mallorca on Sunday.Atletico Madrid kept pace with the leaders three points back in second with a 2-0 success at home to Getafe, while third-placed Real Madrid were indebted to goals from a wounded Cristiano Ronaldo and substitute Alvaro Morata in a 2-1 win in almost unplayable conditions at waterlogged Levante.Unbeaten Barca’s 10th victory in 11 La Liga matches, in which Xavi and Cristian Tello also scored, and haul of 31 points equalled the best start to a league campaign achieved twice by Real - in the 1968-69 and 1991-92 seasons.However, Barca coach Tito Vilanova will be wondering how inept defending allowed Mallorca to score twice early in the second half to get back to 3-2 before Messi struck his second of the night with 20 minutes left.It was the World Player of the Year’s 76th goal of 2012 for club and country - 64 for Barca and 12 for Argentina - and he is closing in on the record for a calendar year of 85 set by German Gerd Mueller in 1972. Messi has now surpassed Brazilian legend Pele’s previous record of 75 goals.