Sporting Gijon 1-3 Barcelona

Lionel Messi has scored 50 goals more than anyone else in La Liga history

Lionel Messi became the first player to reach 300 La Liga goals as he scored twice in Barcelona's victory over Sporting Gijon.

Barca are six points clear at the top thanks to a 31st game without defeat - extending their Spanish record.

Messi opened the scoring from just outside the box for goal number 300 but Carlos Castro levelled moments later.

Messi added his second from a pass by Luis Suarez, who then had a penalty saved before curling home a third goal.

• Relive Barcelona's win as it happened.

On Sunday, Messi rolled a penalty into Suarez's path for the Uruguayan to complete his hat-trick in a 6-1 win over Celta Vigo.

But Suarez did not return the favour in Gijon, and keeper Ivan Cuellar guessed the right way to keep out his penalty kick.

Barcelona have now failed to score seven of their 15 directly taken penalties this season.

La Liga strugglers Sporting named a weakened team - instead prioritising Saturday's trip to Real Betis - with loan signing Alen Halilovic starting against his parent club.

Enrique enjoys return to hometown

Barcelona boss Luis Enrique is from Gijon and started his career with Sporting.

"I'm not very sentimental," he said. "I come to Gijon every summer and Christmas, so I see my family a lot. But it's always a pleasure to come to the Molinon, and it's been a very nice day all round for me.

"It is a privilege to have Messi whoever you are playing against. Suarez's goal did us a lot of good because it took off some of the pressure.

"We obviously need to do better from penalties but we have every confidence in Luis, Messi and Neymar. They're three great penalty takers."