Published : Dec. 10, 2012 - 19:47
Barcelona’s Lionel Messi celebrates his goal against Real Betis. (AFP-Yonhap News)
BARCELONA (AP) ― Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Atletico Madrid’s Radamel Falcao were unstoppable Sunday on a night when both stars again demonstrated why their teams are first and second in the Spanish league.
Messi broke a 40-year record for most goals in a year by scoring his 85th and 86th goals of 2012 to lead Barcelona to a 2-1 win at Real Betis.
Falcao struck five times to power Atletico past Deportivo La Coruna 6-0.
Messi struck in the 16th and 25th minutes to break German great Gerd Mueller’s 1972 record of 85 goals.
“As I always say, my objectives are on a team level: to win the league, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey again,” Messi said.
Barcelona’s eighth win in as many away games this season puts it six points ahead of Atletico and 11 in front of defending champion Real Madrid.
England
Robin van Persie scored in the third minute of stoppage time to send Manchester United to a 3-2 victory over Manchester City, ending the champions’ unbeaten start to the Premier League season.
The outcome left Manchester United six points ahead of its neighbor. City hadn’t lost at home in the league since December 2010.
Van Persie spurned Manchester City’s advances in the offseason and left Arsenal in August. His goal off a free kick wiped out City’s comeback.