It was Messi's 56th converted penalty in La Liga and saw him draw level with Hugo Sanchez as the league's second-top penalty taker, behind record holder Cristiano Ronaldo on 61.
As the curtains fall on another year, Rediff.com brings you all the action from the sports field that defined 2019.
Real Madrid were dumped out of the Copa del Rey at the quarter-final stage on Thursday after losing 4-3 at home to Real Sociedad, while record 30-times winners Barcelona were sent crashing out of the Copa del Rey in a 1-0 defeat at Athletic Bilbao.
IMAGES from the soccer matches played in Spain and Italy on Saturday
Meanwhile, Real Mallorca made a dream return to La Liga with a 2-1 victory over Eibar at the Estadi Son Moix on Saturday, less than two months after sealing back-to-back promotions to rejoin Spain's soccer elite.
Villarreal landed a stunning blow on a potential rival for a European qualification berth when Giovani dos Santos and Ikechukwu Uche each struck twice in a 5-1 drubbing of Real Sociedad in La Liga on Monday.
Spanish champions Barcelona have exercised the buy-back clause to re-sign midfielder Denis Suarez from Villarreal, the Catalan club announced on Monday.
A round-up of Saturday's action in La Liga, Ligue 1 and Serie A.
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