Lionel Messi scored his 49th and 50th goals of the season to lead Barcelona to a 2-0 win at Racing Santander in the Spanish league on Sunday.

Four days after scoring a Champions League-record five goals in Barcelona’s 7-1 win against Bayer Leverkusen, Messi reached the 50-goal mark for the second straight season and closed to within five of matching Cesar Rodriguez’s all-time club record of 235.

Barcelona’ fourth straight victory kept it 10 points behind runaway leader Real Madrid, but with 12 rounds to play the defending champions’ chances of catching their fierce rival are dwindling.

Messi broke through Racing’s 10-man defense in the 29th minute, and the three-time FIFA World Player of the Year added a penalty in the 56th as Barcelona enjoyed a rare easy win away from Camp Nou.

Racing coach Alvaro Cervera, who was hired on Friday, could do little but watch as Barcelona easily kept the relegation-threatened side winless for an eighth straight week.

Cervera made Racing’s strategy clear from the start. While some teams have pressed Barcelona, the former Racing and Spain player opted for his side to sit back and try to resist its opponent’s precision passing game.

But the hosts’ defensive stance led to zero shots on goal and failed to stop Messi from taking his league goal tally to 30 – two behind Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo at the top of the list.

Barcelona hardly missed the injured David Villa and Alexis Sanchez, with the trio of Messi, Cesc Fabregas and Andres Iniesta proving to be too much for Racing.

Barcelona dominated possession from the start but needed to get the hang of the uneven turf at El Sardinero stadium before Andres Iniesta hit the crossbar with a delicate chip shot in the 23rd.

The European champions eventually besieged Racing in its own area for Messi to score. He combined with Fabregas, laying off to the midfielder and pushing forward to dive and knock his cross into the net for the sixth goal set up by Fabregas in the league this season.

Racing sent on striker Christian Stuani at halftime but to no effect.

Messi made it 2-0 in the 56th from the penalty spot, coolly stroking the ball into the bottom right corner after Fabregas had been fouled in the area by Racing defender Domingo Cisma.

With the double, Messi has scored 16 goals in his past six matches for Barcelona and Argentina. He had 53 goals in 55 matches for his club last season. Messi already has 50 in 43 matches so far this campaign.

Manchester United’s hopes of emulating their first European Cup final success here against Benfica in 1968 foundered as Barcelona deservedly repeated their win against Sir Alex Ferguson’s side in Rome two years ago.

The pattern of an entertaining game bore an uncanny resemblance to events in the Stadio Olimpico in 2009 as United started with optimism and intent before being swamped by Barcelona’s brilliance.

Pedro gave Barcelona the lead from one of the many wonderful passes played by Xavi – but Wayne Rooney lifted the gloom during a torrid spell for United with a fine equaliser following a swift exchange with Ryan Giggs.

Barcelona responded by cranking up what Ferguson labelled their passing “carousel” after the break, with man-of-the match Messi at the centre of events as he tortured United.

Messi’s magical feet were decorated by luminous green boots but it was his talent that illuminated Wembley and United’s night was effectively over once he restored Barcelona’s lead with a powerful drive early in the second half.

David Villa’s spectacular third emphasised the gulf in class between the sides and United never threatened to mount the sort of dramatic recovery that has become their trademark.

Ferguson and his players were disconsolate at the final whistle as the nightmare of Rome was revisited but there was no shame in their defeat by one of the finest club sides the game has seen.

There was to be no fulfilling of the destiny United hoped was theirs and no dream conclusion to goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar’s glittering career as he was powerless to prevent Barcelona’s constant wave of beautifully crafted moves.

And as veteran Paul Scholes, who made a brief appearance as substitute, walked up to collect his losers’ medal, thoughts turned to whether this was also his final bow as he considers his future at Old Trafford.

United had hoped to add a fourth victory in Europe’s elite club tournament to a record 19th domestic title – instead they received a brutal lesson in the standards they must achieve from the Barcelona benchmark.

Ferguson insisted he had learned the lessons of defeat in Rome but the same problems swiftly resurfaced as Barcelona stamped their authority on midfield and Messi roamed free to inflict damage, adding another Champions League final goal to the one that sealed victory against United in their previous meeting.

United may dominate in England but Barcelona demonstrated once more, in front of Wembley and an estimated television audience of 300m, that they are peerless on the European stage.

Ferguson, as expected, opted to keep faith with the attacking partnership of Rooney and Javier Hernandez – but there was bitter disappointment for leading scorer Dimitar Berbatov, who failed to even make the substitutes’ bench, Michael Owen getting the nod.

United’s intentions were clear in the opening exchanges with a high-tempo approach designed to deny Barcelona time and space while pushing them back towards their own goal.

After early encouragement, however, Barcelona settled into their smooth passing style and started to give United a rough ride as they struggled to maintain any measure of authority and control was lost.

Pedro flashed the first ominous sign with a shot just wide before Van der Sar saved well low down from Villa. The goal was coming and it duly arrived after 27 minutes.

Xavi had been immaculate on the ball, dictating terms at every opportunity, and another masterly piece of creation played in Pedro, who had time to wrong-foot Van der Sar with a simple finish.

United’s thoughts were scrambled as Barcelona moved the ball around with ease. Ferguson cut an agitated figure in the technical area as he pleaded with his players to concentrate in the face of the Catalans’ domination.

It needed a moment of inspiration to lift United’s spirits and Rooney provided it with the equaliser after 34 minutes. He exchanged passes with Giggs before sweeping a right-foot finish high past Victor Valdes.

Barcelona were swift to regain their composure and almost restored their advantage seconds before the interval when Messi somehow failed to apply the final touch to Villa’s cross inside the six-yard area.

United were out early for the second half, presumably with the words of Ferguson ringing in their ears, while Barcelona waited in the players’ tunnel for the resumption.

And when it did, Barcelona simply picked up the theme that characterised the first half. Van der Sar did well to block Alves’ attempt and Patrice Evra was forced to scramble back towards his own goal to head away Messi’s follow-up.

Messi’s golden talent is unquestioned, but he had been helped by United’s failure to get close enough to halt his advances. It was a hazardous occupation and the heavy price was finally paid after 54 minutes.

The Argentine took full advantage of United’s failure to close him down 25 yards out by flashing a shot past Van der Sar with minimum backlift. The finish was central and close to the keeper but it was struck with astonishing power.

Messi was toying with United and Van der Sar was grateful to save with his legs as he threatened once more. He then played in Alves, whose shot was stopped on the line by Fabio before Xavi ripped in another finish that was held by the Dutchman.

Ferguson attempted to stem Barcelona’s tide by sending on Nani for Fabio in a positive move – but seconds later Barcelona struck again to give the scoreline a more realistic appearance.

Villa has had a mixed first season at the Nou Camp but his enduring class was evident when he curled a precise shot high past the outstretched arms of Van der Sar after 69 minutes.

The rest of the game was merely a conclusion of the formalities as Barcelona lifted the famous trophy for the fourth time and United were left to wonder how they can halt what seems to be an unstoppable force.

Following a completely one-sided first half in which Madrid keeper Iker Casillas kept his side in the game, Pedro gave Pep Guardiola’s team the lead nine minutes into the second period.

Marcelo soon hit back for a vastly-improved Madrid 10 minutes later, but the Catalans never looked in too much trouble and will face Manchester United or Schalke in the final later this month, which sees them return to the scene of their first European Cup triumph, in 1992.

Madrid, two goals down from last Wednesday’s bad-tempered first leg match at the Bernabeu, were missing suspended pair Pepe and Sergio Ramos. Coach Jose Mourinho, also banned, named an attacking line-up, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Angel di Maria and Gonzalo Higuain all in the side.

But after a solid start, which saw Ronaldo make some promising attacking runs, Barca began to dominate. Ricardo Carvalho, who missed the first match through suspension, cut out a dangerous ball from Lionel Messi after 20 minutes and moments later, Casillas saved comfortably from Sergio Busquets, who was allowed a free header by the Madrid defence.

Casillas then made a double save to deny Messi and must have been relieved when the Argentina forward fired wide just a minute later. The Spain goalkeeper then did well to keep out Messi’s low drive, but produced an even better save David Villa’s curling effort, which was heading for the far corner.

Madrid were hardly getting a sniff and things could have been worse a minute before time, when Carvalho – already booked – hacked down Messi. The referee waved play on, much to the annoyance of the Nou Camp crowd, in what was the last real action of the first period.

Madrid improved after the break, but Barca took the lead just as the visitors had looked to be making some headway. The goal was all about Andres Iniesta, who played a fabulous defence-splitting ball through to Pedro for a clinical low finish from the Tenerife-born forward into Casillas’ bottom right corner.

Karanka then sent on Emmanuel Adebayor and Mesut Ozil for Kaka and Gonzalo Higuain as Madrid sought a more direct approach. Despite the goal, effectively little had changed: Madrid needed three to go through.

It looked an impossible task, but some hope was restored as Marcelo levelled the scores on the night, firing home from close range after Di Maria had hit the post and then squared the rebound for his better-positioned team-mate.

Adebayor threw his weight around up front after that and was arguably lucky to only pick up a late booking, but the Togo striker was left with an unenviable task as he fed off scraps against a Barca side happy to keep possession and run down the clock.

There was a huge cheer just before the end as Eric Abidal came on to make his first appearance since returning from an operation to rumour a tumour from his liver in March.

But there was an even bigger roar a couple of minutes later as the referee blew the final whistle to confirm Barca as Champions League finalists for the third time in six years.

The Catalans will now look for a repeat of their 1992 triumph and a fourth European Cup success in total as they return to Wembley on May 28.

A Lionel Messi penalty gave Barca an early second-half lead after Raul Albiol hauled David Villa to the ground with a challenge that saw him sent off.

Real’s equaliser was also provided by a penalty when Daniel Alves brought down fellow Brazilian Marcelo. Cristiano Ronaldo, who had earlier hit the post, fired home the spot-kick.

The two clubs now meet in the Copa del Rey final on 20 April, which will be followed by their Champions League semi-final.

Saturday’s El Clasico never quite morphed into a classic and at times was spoiled by some cynical challenges and gamesmanship, with even Messi reduced to kicking the ball into the stands at one point.

Real’s initial policy was one of containment – Mesut Ozil began the game on the bench – which was, perhaps, not such a surprising tactical decision given Mourinho’s team had been embarrassingly beaten by Barcelona 5-0 at the Nou Camp in November.

That strategy was to crowd the midfield in the hope of stifling Barca’s passing game, relying on Ronaldo and Angel di Maria to provide the home side’s counter-attacking threat.

It was a strategy that enabled Barcelona to dominate possession, though Real probably had the clearer openings in the first half.

Just before the half-hour Di Maria glimpsed goal only to miscue with a wild shot and soon after Ronaldo swept into the Barca area before Adriano raced across to take the ball away from the Portuguese winger.

Adriano’s fellow defenders – Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique – also made crucial interceptions in a niggly opening half to cut out passes from Ronaldo and Di Maria.

Just before the interval Ronaldo’s powerful header was headed off the line by Adriano following a Real corner.

It was Di Maria’s fellow Argentine Messi who carried the main Barca threat to Real in those opening 45 minutes.

Early on Messi attempted to lob Casillas and after a slaloming run by the Argentine international the Real Madrid goalkeeper did well to beat away the Barca forward’s shot.

Casillas also appeared to bring down Villa but referee Cesar Muniz Fernandez was unmoved apart from waving a yellow card at Pique for his protestations over the decision.

Early in the second half Ronaldo’s dipping free-kick clipped the upright but minutes later Real found themselves a man and a goal down.

If Villa’s first-half penalty appeal had been ignored by Fernandez the referee immediately pointed to the spot after Albiol crudely wrestled the former Valencia striker to the ground.

Messi’s penalty was not the best but Casillas dived early as the Argentine notched up his 49th goal of the season.

Barca then had to rejig their defence when Puyol, who was playing for the first time in three months following a knee injury, had to be substituted with what looked like a hamstring injury.

Not that the loss of their captain seemed to have any effect on Barca’s increasing dominance as Xavi Hernandez clipped the bar with a curling shot.

Mourinho introduced Ozil and the on-loan Emmanuel Adebayor as Real attempted to salvage points and pride from the game.

And Real managed to do just that when Marcelo went to ground after he was tackled by Alves and Ronaldo’s precise penalty provided the Portuguese’s forward with his 29th league goal of the season.

After Saturday’s league match the two clubs will meet in the Copa del Rey final on 20 April, which will be followed by their Champions League semi-final – with the first leg at Real’s Bernabeu stadium on 27 April and Barca staging the second at the Nou Camp on 3 May.

With six games left in La Liga, Real are likely to need a dramatic collapse by Barca for Mourinho’s side to win the league, though they can take credit from their ability to take a point from a game in which they played nearly half of it with 10 men.

“Eleven against 10 and it was practically mission impossible,” said Mourinho. “Especially against a team that – with possession of the ball – are the best in the world.

“We drew and nearly won but, with the circumstances of the game, it’s a draw you have to be happy with.”

Mourinho’s Barca counterpart Pep Guardiola said: “We should have attacked Casillas’ goal more when it was 1-0 but its natural to sit back some when you’re in the lead.”