SPAIN, Jan 28 (AP): The game that the Spanish league had wanted to play in the United States still featured a traditional attraction of the competition - Lionel Messi scoring a goal.
Messi coolly put the result beyond doubt in a 2-0 victory for Barcelona at 10-man Girona on Sunday, helping the defending champions to keep their five-point league lead with an eighth straight win.
The Argentine's goal came with Girona threatening to equalise despite losing defender Bernardo Espinosa to a second yellow card shortly after halftime.
But a gaping hole appeared at the back when Luis Suarez played Jordi Alba clear. The left back quickly spied Messi arriving at the top of the box unmarked, and Messi did the rest by floating his shot over Yassine Bounou to crush the hosts' comeback hopes in the 69th minute.
Barcelona lead Atletico Madrid by five points, with Real Madrid trailing by 10.
Benzema struck four minutes into the game and added Madrid's third. He also threw in several smart passes for his teammates that went close to producing more goals.
Madrid finished the match without both starting centerbacks. Sergio Ramos, who scored Madrid's second goal, picked up a knock that led to his substitution at halftime, while Raphael Varane saw a direct red for fouling Pablo Piatti with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Gareth Bale completed the scoring for Madrid. Espanyol got goals from Leo Baptistao in the first half and a late strike by Roberto Rosales.
Athletic Bilbao continued its rebound under coach Gaizka Garitano by beating Real Betis 1-0 for a fourth victory during a seven-game unbeaten run.
Iker Muniain scored the only goal in the 21st when the midfielder used a deft one-touch control to open an angle and slot home a left-footed strike.
Since it lost the Spanish international to a right-leg muscle injury in a loss at Barcelona, Celta has gone on to lose four more games.
After squandering the lead in a 2-1 loss against Valladolid, it was left in 17th place and the brink of the relegation zone.
