Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos scored in the 90th minute to hold FC Barcelona to a 1-1 draw at the Camp Nou on Saturday.
That was also Messi's 500th goal for Barcelona.
Lionel Messi requires two more goals to reach 500 for Barcelona and will have his sights set on achieving the milestone against great rivals Real Madrid in Sunday's Clasico.
Busquets, who retired from international duty last year, has made more than 700 appearances for Barcelona and holds the record for playing in more El Clasicos than any other player with 48 appearances against Barcelona's rivals Real Madrid.
The two forwards have hit their strides ahead of Saturday's Clasico showdown between the two heavyweight clubs.
Luis Suarez is likely to play his first competitive game for Barcelona in La Liga's "Clasico" against Real Madrid later this month and he says it is no coincidence his four-month biting ban expires the day before one of biggest fixtures in world soccer.
Real Madrid are comfortably perched on top of the La Liga standings with 66 points while Barca are now third on 54 points with a game in hand, three points behind second-placed Sevilla.
Real Madrid have enviously looked on as Barcelona claimed six La Liga titles in the last eight years, but Zinedine Zidane's side can take a huge step towards a first crown since 2012 with victory over their bitter rivals at the Nou Camp on Saturday.
It is a scenario few could have foreseen after Real won a Liga and Champions League double last term and began this season so convincingly.
Barcelona's new coach Tito Vilanova has one of the toughest acts to follow in replacing Pep Guardiola although he is not showing any sign of nerves ahead of his first showdown with Real Madrid.
'We aren't playing well and we can't blame the coach, as the players are the ones who have to perform on the pitch'
Images from the El Clasico match between Barcelona and Real Madrid played at Camp Nou on Saturday.
Real Madrid and Barcelona, the world's two richest clubs, have already played each other twice in five days in La Liga and the King's Cup, and now face off again over two legs for a place in the Champions League final.
Luis Suarez, whose four-month ban for biting an opponent expires on Friday, will make his official Barcelona debut in Saturday's La Liga clasico at Real Madrid, coach Luis Enrique said.
The shock appointment of Juande Ramos to replace Bernd Schuster as Real Madrid coach on Tuesday gives this year's first Primera Liga "Clasico" between the champions and leaders Barcelona an intriguing twist.
Real Madrid coach Rafa Benitez has a full squad available, including forward Karim Benzema, for Saturday's La Liga Clasico at home to Barcelona.
Jose Mourinho attributed a large part of Barcelona's 3-1 'Clasico' victory at the Bernabeu on Saturday to luck and dismissed the idea that it would damage his side's morale in the La Liga title race.
Chennai Super Kings' all-rounder Moeen Ali likened the intense battles between his team and Mumbai Indians to the storied footballing rivalry of Manchester United and Liverpool.
Clashes between Real Madrid and Barcelona are rarely short on drama and Saturday's La Liga 'Clasico' may have more than its usual share with Luis Suarez poised to return from a biting ban and Barca teammate Lionel Messi on the brink of equalling the top-flight scoring record.
Real coach Julen Lopetegui has come in for fierce criticism this season, having presided over a run of five games without a win -- the team going eight hours and one minute without scoring -- before Tuesday's unconvincing 2-1 triumph over Viktoria Plzen that saw the team whistled off the pitch by their own fans.
Barcelona will look to take a big step towards their first La Liga title in four years, when they take on Real Madrid this weekend.
Jose Mourinho wants to prove there has been a shift in the balance of power towards his Real Madrid side when the La Liga leaders host bitter rivals Barcelona in the opening 'Clasico' of the campaign on Saturday.
Nine Catalan separatist leaders were jailed for between nine and 13 years on Monday for their roles in an illegal referendum and subsequent failed independence bid, sparking protests and clashes across the region. Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia.
Following public comments from La Liga chief Javier Tebas, who said it was "not ideal" for the second El Clasico meeting between Real and Barca last season to be played with the latter having already won the league title, the two sides will face off earlier this campaign.
Barcelona have filed a formal complaint against two former Real Madrid players turned pundits after they suggested Barca forward Neymar deserved the kick he received from Real midfielder Isco in this month's La Liga 'El Clasico'.
"It is a story that I wanted to tell in my own words, about what happened. I feel it is the biggest story of my career and I thought that I held it for too long by myself and that I needed to share it with other people. The moment was now and (being in) Madrid, on the eve of El Clasico on Sunday, was the perfect occasion to make it happen," the former striker said.
From Germany's Sebastian Vettel roaring into the record books as Formula One's youngest four-time world champion to Barcelona wining the El Clasico, Rediff.com has all that and more snapped right here...
Cristiano Ronaldo said he has always got on well with Lionel Messi and never saw him as a rival.
Former Real Madrid and England manager gives a clear explanation to the Messi vs Ronaldo debate
Argentina and Barcelona's Lionel Messi, Uruguay and Liverpool's Luis Suarez, Brazil and Chelsea's Oscar Suarez were a few Latin American stars who lit up football stadiums across Europe over the weekend.
Barcelona star Lionel Messi saves his best against Real Madrid. He sizzled in the 'El Clasico' and threw the La Liga title race open with a hat-trick.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo stole the limelight as Barcelona and Real Madrid drew 2-2 in a thrilling La Liga 'El Clasico' at the Nou Camp on Sunday.
Billed in Spain as the decisive showdown between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for the 2012 FIFA Ballon d'Or award, Sunday's La Liga El Clasico gave plenty of ammunition to both camps as each player netted twice in a thrilling 2-2 draw.
Real Madrid will go into next weekend's La Liga El Clasico at Barcelona eight points behind their great rivals after Cristiano Ronaldo netted a hat-trick in a 5-1 comeback win at home to promoted Deportivo Coruna on Sunday.
Rohit Sharma is La Liga's brand ambassador in India. as Real Madrid take on Barcelona in La Liga on March 2, Rohit makes his presence felt.
Double strikes by Thierry Henry and Lionel Messi powered a rampant Barcelona to a 6-2 thrashing of champions Real Madrid in a spectacular Primera Liga clash.
Biting opponents may be appalling but it is harmless and should not be punished as severely as a bad tackle, says controversial Barcelona striker Luis Suarez.
Barcelona need to avoid getting sucked into the Spanish obsession with El Clasico when they face Ajax Amsterdam in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Cristiano Ronaldo struck a late goal to help Real Madrid beat third tier Ponferradina 2-0 away in a King's Cup last-32, first-leg match, on Tuesday, as the holders looked to recover from their demoralising 'El Clasico' defeat by Barcelona at the weekend.
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