MADRID: Lionel Messi smashed in a superb free kick to complete a 2-1 comeback win for injury-hit Barcelona at home to Athletic Bilbao on Sunday that kept alive their slim hopes of a fifth La Liga title in six years.

After a wretched 12 days when they were eliminated from the Champions League by Atletico Madrid, beaten in the King’s Cup final by Real Madrid and suffered a shock 1-0 reverse at lowly Granada in La Liga, Barca badly needed a morale-boosting victory in front of their fans at the Nou Camp.

However, after Messi, Pedro and Alexis Sanchez squandered clear scoring opportunities, Aritz Aduriz fired fourth-placed Bilbao ahead five minutes into the second half, prompting rumblings of discontent among the home faithful.

Pedro leveled in the 72nd minute after more chances had gone begging and Messi struck the winner three minutes later when he drove the ball powerfully into the net, the Argentina forward’s 26th goal of an injury-disrupted season.

With four matches left including a trip to Barca on the final day of the season, surprise leaders Atletico top the standings on 85 points following Friday’s 2-0 home win over Elche.

Barca are second on 81 points, two ahead of Real, who have a game in hand. Bilbao are a further 17 points behind Real and remain well placed to secure a berth in Champions League qualifying for next season.

“We are creating a lot of chances but finding it tough to put them away,” Barca center back Javier Mascherano said in an interview with Spanish television broadcaster Canal Plus.

“We just have to do things as professionally as possible for the remaining few games,” added the Argentine, who made a superb block late on to deny Bilbao substitute Mikel Rico.

“We have to hold on to this small amount of hope we have, try to win all our matches and see what happens.”

Bilbao are three points clear of fifth-placed Sevilla, who continued their fine recent run with a 4-0 victory at home to Andalusian rivals Granada on Sunday.

Celta Vigo pulled further away from danger when they won 4-2 at second-from-bottom Almeria, while basement side Real Betis are on the brink of relegation after they were beaten 3-1 at Rayo Vallecano.

Dortmund on course for CL stage

Second-placed Borussia Dortmund made sure of a place in the Champions League group stage next season when a 4-2 win over Mainz 05 guaranteed them a top-three finish in the Bundesliga.

Bayern Munich, who have already wrapped up the title, won for the first time in four league games as they beat bottom club Eintracht Braunschweig 2-0 away with goals from Claudio Pizarro and substitute Mario Manduzkic.

The bottom three all lost at home leaving Hamburg, the only ever-present club in the Bundesliga’s 51-year history, in 16th, the relegation playoff spot, and Nuremberg and Braunschweig in the drop zone.

Hamburg crashed 3-1 to VfL Wolfsburg and Nuremberg were thumped 4-1 by Bayer Leverkusen who stayed in fourth, the Champions League playoff spot. VfB Stuttgart pulled four points clear of Hamburg with a 3-1 win over Schalke 04.

Juventus moves closer to title

Juventus moved closer to a third consecutive Serie A title when a long-range Paul Pogba goal beat a dogged Bologna side 1-0 to keep them eight points clear of AS Roma at the top with four games to play.

Juve also maintained a 100 percent home record this season after 17 games.

Roma made sure of secured second spot and a Champions League place by winning 1-0 at Fiorentina with a Radja Nainngolan goal.

Juventus, who visit Roma on the penultimate day of the championship, have 90 points, with Roma on 82 and Napoli on 68 after a 1-1 draw with Udinese.

AC Milan, making a late charge for European football, beat Livorno 3-0 for their fifth consecutive win.