La Liga wrap: Messi leads Barca in Pep farewell

Lionel Messi’s four goals helped Barcelona to a big win over Espanyol as Atletico Madrid boosted their Champions League hopes.

Barcelona may have seen the La Liga title handed to Real Madrid in the week, but they still gave their supporters something to celebrate in their last home match of the season as they ran out 4-0 winners over cross-town rival Espanyol at the Camp Nou.

Messi was in commanding form as he scored all four goals, his third coming from a classy run and finish past Espanyol stopper Cristian Alvarez in the second half, that saw him reach 50 league goals for the season.

The four goals mean Messi has scored 72 goals in all competitions this campaign, becoming the first player to have scored 70 goals in a first division season since Archie Stark did it for Bethlehem Steele in the American Soccer League in 1924-25.

Having reached his hat-trick, Messi gave departing coach Pep Guardiola an emotional embrace on the sidelines as Guardiola leaves the Camp Nou with 13 titles to his name in four seasons.

The result still sees Barcelona in second, seven points adrift of La Liga champions Real Madrid, who produced a dramatic 2-1 victory over Granada (15th) through David Cortes’ injury-time own goal.

Granada appeared set to boost their chances of avoiding the drop as they took the lead in the fifth minute through Franco Jara and held onto it until 10 minutes from time when Cristiano Ronaldo equalised from the spot after earning a penalty for his 45th goal of the season.

But despite being under strength and appearing the worse for wear from their La Liga celebrations, Real Madrid earned another victory as Cortes inexplicably turned Karim Benzema’s cross into his own net during the third minute of added time.

Third-placed Valencia also left it late as Jonas fired home in the second minute of injury time to earn a 1-0 victory over relegation-threatened local rival Villarreal (16th), who sit just one point above the drop zone.

Malaga, meanwhile, is clinging to fourth on the Spanish table and the last Champions League qualifying position, despite a 2-1 loss to fifth-placed Atletico Madrid.

Malaga took the lead in the 38th minute through Eliseu, but conceded ate goals to Koke and Adrian to find themselves just two points ahead of Atletico heading into their last game of the season against Sporting Gijon.

Sixth-placed Levante, meanwhile, slumped to a 1-0 loss to Mallorca (seventh) as Osasuna climbed into eighth through a 1-0 win over Real Sociedad (14th).

Two goals from Papa Babacar Diawara helped Sevilla (ninth) destroy Rayo Vallecano (17th) 5-2 leaving the latter side on 40 points for the season.

That is the same amount as 18th-placed Real Zaragoza heading into the last round, after Lafita’s 78th-minute goal earned Zaragoza a priceless 2-1 victory over the already relegated Racing Santander, while Athletic Bilbao (10th) played out a goalless stalemate with Getafe (11th).