Madrid: Lionel Messi's 43rd goal of the season gave Barcelona a 1-0 victory at Valencia on Wednesday to provisionally extend the Spanish league leader's advantage over Real Madrid to 10 points.
Brazilian defender Adriano fed Messi with a pass as he sped into the area in the 77th minute, and the Argentina forward side-footed a left-footed shot past goalkeeper Vicente Guaita for his 27th league goal of the campaign.
Guaita had stymied most of Barcelona's previous opportunities, including several from Messi and David Villa, who was playing at the Mestalla Stadium for the first time since his move to the Spanish champions last summer.
Barcelona set a league record of 20 straight away games without defeat. It's last away loss was at Atletico Madrid in February 2010. It already set a new league record of 16 straight wins this season.
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola — who made the trip despite a lower back injury — earned his first victory at the Mestalla in his third trip, to put further pressure on Madrid ahead of Thursday's game against Malaga at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, where it has won all 20 games this season.
"We go away with a vital triumph from a ground where you can always drop points," Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez said.
Earlier, Giuseppe Rossi scored his 22nd goal of the season to give Villarreal a 1-0 win over Hercules to end a four-game winless run.
Fourth-place Villarreal moved to within one point of Valencia, which is 10 points behind second-place Madrid.
Villa started for Barcelona despite an appearance in an Asturias court earlier Wednesday over a dispute with his former agent.
Guardiola also started midfielder Sergio Busquets alongside Gerard Pique at center back with Carles Puyol still out, while Jose Manuel Pinto was in goal for the injured Victor Valdes.
Valencia coach Unai Emery's team hadn't lost in 11 games and went with a defensive formation but left defender David Navarro out after the center back was criticized for faking an injury in a match Sunday.
Valencia created four corners inside the first seven minutes, but it was Messi who wasted the best early chance in the ninth minute.
The FIFA player of the year came one on one with Guaita, who stopped the forward's shot before defender Ricardo Costa blocked a second effort. The rebound returned to Messi, but Guaita made another save.
Valencia's Jordi Alba soon had a goal waved away for offside, while Guaita — a backup before injuries pushed him into a starting position this season — continued to shine and denied Villa from point-blank range in the 41st.
While Xavi returned from injury, Valencia's pressure meant he wasn't as accurate as usual with his passing.
Roberto Soldado came on a substitute and sparked a series of chances for Valencia, with the striker shaving the far post with a shot in the 52nd.
Guardiola rarely ventured from his seat because of his back problem, even when Messi broke the deadlock.
"He's happy because it was a very complicated game, but he doesn't feel well and he managed the best he could since he was in pain all day," Barcelona assistant coach Tito Vilanova said. "It's an exceptional result."
At El Madrigal, Cani played Rossi through on Juan Calatayud in the 22nd minute and the Italy striker slid his 13th goal of the season under the goalkeeper for what proved the winner. Hercules hasn't scored an away goal since Oct. 24 — a stretch of 11 games.
Ikechukwu Uche scored his first goal since May 2009 to give Zaragoza a 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao, which has lost four straight.
Uche had missed most of the past two seasons after separate injuries to his same left knee, but the Nigeria striker showed in the 55th that he hasn't lost his abilities, beating keeper Gorka Iraizoz from a tight angle against the run of play. Uche was in tears as he celebrated the goal.
Five minutes earlier, Jiri Jarosik canceled out Fernando Llorente's 18th-minute opener for Bilbao. It was Spain striker Llorente's 15th goal of the season.
Zaragoza moved out of the relegation places with its first victory in five games — two points above 18th-place Sporting Gijon, which lost 3-0 at Sevilla Tuesday.
Atletico Madrid stayed within three points of Sevilla and the last European place after Brazilian midfielder Elias' 81st-minute header secured a 1-1 draw at Getafe. Getafe, which scored through Manu del Moral, is five points behind seventh-place Sevilla.
Asier del Horno's left-footed blast saw Levante draw 1-1 at Real Sociedad, while Osasuna and Deportivo La Coruna drew 0-0.
Almeria plays Racing Santander in Thursday's other game.
Mallorca beat Espanyol 2-1 on Tuesday.
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