Quick-thinking and brilliant execution from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo powered their sides to away wins over Atletico Madrid and Rayo Vallecano respectively Sunday night. The World Player of the Year caught the Atletico defence napping to score a breathtaking 81st-minute free kick and settle an intense battle at the Vicente Calderon stadium after Atletico striker Radamel Falcao had cancelled out Daniel Alves's opening goal. The victory kept the gap on leaders Real Madrid to 10 points As the home defence lined up to defend the free kick wide on the left,Messi noticed Atletico goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois out of position and curled a stunning strike over the Belgian's head into the far top corner for his 28th league goal of the season. Earlier in the night,Real had squeaked past neighbours Rayo Vallecano 1-0 thanks to a clever Cristiano Ronaldo backheel that helped Jose Mourinho's side equal the club record of nine straight away wins from the 2009-10 season. The Portuguese international pounced on a loose ball at a 54th-minute corner and sent it through a crowd of players into the net for his 29th strike of the campaign,one ahead of Messi at the top of the scoring chart. I didn't even think when I scored, Ronaldo told reporters. I just hit the ball with my heel and therefore surprised the defenders and the goalkeeper, the former Manchester United player added. I hit it strongly enough so they couldn't stop it. It gave us the victory,so it's worth twice us much to us, he said. Real's victory at promoted Rayo's sun-drenched stadium in the south east of the Spanish capital put Jose Mourinho's side on 64 points from 24 matches,with Barca on 54 in second and Valencia,who lost 2-1 at home to Sevilla,14 points further back in third. After the match,Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola hailed Messi's effort. "A leader is someone who steps up when the team needs him and Leo has been doing that for the past four years," he said. He also acknowledged that his team's shot at winning a fourth straight league title since he took charge is slim. "I don't believe we will win the league. But I hope we will compete like we did today and that we will compete in the Champions League and Copa del Rey final, he said. In the night's other games,Athletic Bilbao missed a chance to climb above Levante into fourth and a Champions League qualification place when they were held to an entertaining 2-2 draw at improving Villarreal. The home side,whose season has been wrecked by injuries to key players,took a 10th-minute lead through former Spain midfielder Marcos Senna before goals from Fernando Llorente and Markel Susaeta put the Basque club ahead. Nilmar equalised in the 68th minute to leave Villarreal in 17th on 27 points and Bilbao in fifth on 34. Malaga thumped bottom side Real Zaragoza 5-1 on Saturday to move into sixth place,level on 34 points with seventh-placed Osasuna,who beat Granada 2-1 on Sunday.
