Written 7 months ago by Will O'Callaghan

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Lionel Messi scored his 500th Barcelona goal as his stoppage-time winner against 10-man Real Madrid breathed life into his side’s title challenge.

Messi – sporting a black eye and damaged teeth following Marcelo’s first-half challenge – struck twice in a dramatic 3-2 win to take Barcelona to the top of LaLiga.

Ivan Rakitic was also on target for Barcelona, while Casemiro and James Rodriguez – the Colombian having equalised in the 85th minute – scored for hosts Real, who had captain Sergio Ramos sent off in the final quarter.

Ramos received an El Clasico red card for the second successive season 13 minutes from time after leaving the ground recklessly.

Messi was fortunate that the Spaniard’s two-footed challenge did not make contact with him and that he avoided serious injury.

Barcelona go top because they have a better head-to-head record than Real, but Zinedine Zidane’s team have a game on hand with six matches left to play.

Image – AFP PHOTO / OSCAR DEL POZO

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