Madrid, Feb 21 (AFP) Argentine Lionel Messi scored a vital 77th-minute winner as Barcelona laboured to a 2-1 home win over Athletic Bilbao to restore their five-point lead over Real Madrid at the Spanish first division summit.
Barcelona looked set to drop two more points after Andoni Iraola's penalty had cancelled out David Villa's third-minute opener, however, Messi popped up with his 25th league goal of the season to clinch the points at Camp Nou yesterday.
"We couldn't afford another slip-up as Real Madrid were close," said Messi. "We won a very important match. There isn't that much left of the league to go now and every game is vital."
It was Pep Guardiola's 100th league match in charge of Barcelona and the manager was a relieved man as his side bounced back from their 2-1 Champions League defeat to Arsenal in midweek.