Lionel Messi scored four times to take his season tally to an unprecedented 72 goals and give Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola a 4-0 win over crosstown rival Espanyol in his last home game at Camp Nou Stadium Saturday. Messi's scoring display was a fitting farewell for the coach who helped the Argentina forward become the world's best player and forged Barcelona into one of the best teams to have played football. After scoring his Spanish league-record 50th goal late on, Messi went to the sideline to embrace Guardiola, who is leaving after 13 titles in four seasons. The only other player to have scored 70 goals in a first-division season was Archie Stark of Bethlehem Steel in the American Soccer League in 1924-25. Real Madrid, which clinched the league title in the last round, won 2-1 at Granada thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo's 45th league goal and David Cortes' own goal in stoppage time. “Life has given me this gift during the past five years of being able to live with these players and enjoy this spectacle,” Guardiola told the packed stands following his 97th win in 118 home games. “I have been the privileged one, to feel so loved and admired during all these years. Many thanks to all, above all to those who I have worked with every day.” Guardiola will coach Barcelona's last league game at Real Betis before having a chance at a 14th piece of silverware in the Copa del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao. Guardiola's assistant Tito Vilanova will then take over. The stands were full of posters and signs in Guardiola's honor and a banner saying “Thanks Pep” hung on the outside of the stadium to greet the departing manager on arrival. When Guardiola came out of the tunnel he was met by another enormous banner saying “We love you Pep!” and chants from the 89,044 fans. Madrid has 97 points and can set a league record with 100 points with a win over Mallorca in the final round. Elsewhere, Valencia beat Villarreal 1-0 to clinch third place for the third straight season and automatically qualify for next season's Champions league. Atletico Madrid beat fourth-place Malaga 2-1, giving it a shot at overtaking the Costa del Sol club in the final round and claiming Spain's last Champions League playoff spot. The race to avoid the drop could not be tighter after Zaragoza downed the already-relegated Racing Santander 2-1 and Sporting Gijon beat Betis 1-0. Second-to-last place Sporting has 37 points. Zaragoza and Rayo Vallecano both have 40, while Villarreal has 41 and Granada 42. Also, it was: Mallorca 1, Levante 0; Athletic Bilbao 0, Getafe 0; Sevilla 5, Rayo Vallecano 2; and Osasuna 1, Real Sociedad 0.
