Messi reaches 500-goal mark

Lionel Messi, with his 500th Barcelona goal, and Luis Suarez saved the Spanish champion from a second loss in six days en route to a 2-1 triumph at Sevilla on Sunday.

The win keeps Barca just two points back of Real Madrid, which beat Leganes 3-0, thanks to a double from Gareth Bale.

Madrid also announced that Cristiano Ronaldo will extend his contract with the European champion until 2021.

After a first half dominated by Sevilla, Messi inspired a spirited Barca comeback fresh off a 3-1 loss at Manchester City in the Champions League.

Barcelona's Lionel Messi complains to an official after being stripped of one of his boots during Sunday's 2-1 win at Sevilla. Marcelo del Pozo / Reuters

"There is no one like him and our objective as a team is to look for Leo as much as possible," Barca manager Luis Enrique told Spanish TV station Movistar.

"The capacity Messi has to play in any position and interpret what is happening on the field is incredible."

With the cast of Game of Thrones among those watching on in Seville, the match got off to a frantic start.

The host had two shots on goal inside 50 seconds, but from a Sevilla corner Barca broke forward at lightning speed and Suarez's effort from Neymar's layoff was brilliantly saved by Sergio Rico.

Sevilla remained on the attack for most of the first half and got its reward in the 15th minute when Pablo Sarabia's pass confounded Sergi Roberto and Vitolo charged through to open the scoring.

Sarabia passed up a great chance to make it 2-0 when he took the bizarre decision to backheel the ball towards the edge of the area when he had just Marc-Andre ter Stegen to beat.

Barca made Sevilla pay with another brilliant counter attack to knot the score two minutes before halftime when Messi smartly curled Neymar's pass into the bottom corner.

The goal was Messi's 500th for Barca including friendlies, but he should have had more after the break as only a brilliant block from Mariano and a save by Rico prevented the Barca captain turning the game around.

Messi turned set-up man for the winner just after the hour mark when he teed up a perfect pass for Suarez to drill past Rico.

Rico produced an incredible stop to prevent Suarez making it 3-1, but a huge error by Ter Stegen at the other end nearly cost Barca the win as he flapped at a corner and Steven N'Zonzi headed inches wide of the gaping goal.

Two for Bale

Earlier, Bale rounded off a fine week after signing one of the most lucrative deals in soccer history to remain with Real until 2022.

The Welsh striker proved his worth as he struck twice within seven minutes during the first half before Alvaro Morata added Real's third goal 14 minutes from time.

Bale outsprinted the Leganes defense as he latched onto Isco's through ball and rounded Jon Ander Serantes before slotting home from a narrow angle.

His second was a scrappier finish as Bale pounced on a loose ball inside the area from Toni Kroos' free kick to tally from close range.

By contrast, Ronaldo endured another frustrating afternoon as he was kept scoreless for the fifth time in eight La Liga appearances this season and didn't even manage a shot on target.

The Portuguese superstar has now gone five games without scoring at Bernabeu stadium - his longest drought since joining Real seven years ago.

"There is nothing wrong, he is not worried," said Real boss Zinedine Zidane about Ronaldo's slump in form.

Bolt dreams of soccer stardom

Olympic sprint king Usain Bolt said on Sunday that if he ever realized his long-held ambition of becoming a professional soccer player, he'd have the skills of both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Asked by Argentine magazine Viva: "Would you prefer to be like Lionel Messi or like Cristiano Ronaldo?", the world's fastest man replied: "I'd be a good mixture. By combining the talents of the two and adding my speed and my heart, I would be the greatest!"

Bolt has often stated his dream of playing for Manchester United.

"If they call me to say, 'We need you now', I'd take the next flight to England," said the nine-time Olympic gold medalist and world record holder.