Larsson and Messi strike as Barca near record

SPANISH league leaders Barcelona stretched their advantage at the top of the table to 10 points with a comfortable 2-0 win over bottom club Alaves last night.

Second half goals from Henrik Larsson and Lionel Messi helped the Catalan club to their 13th successive win in the league. The record run of their bitter rivals Real Madrid, who put together 15 back-to-back victories in the 1960-61 season, is now in sight with Real Mallorca and then Real Zaragoza the next opponents in line for Barca.

Larsson, starting only his second league game this season, proved that he can still find the net despite the lack of match practice, scoring from close range less than two minutes into the second half. Messi then put the match beyond the reach of the Basques eight minutes from the end.