Ten-man Barcelona needed an injury-time goal to secure a 2-2 draw at Real Betis on Saturday in coach Pep Guardiola's final La Liga game in charge.

Sergi Busquets got an early goal for the Blaugrana before they had Brazilian wing-back Dani Alves sent-off early in the second-half.

Ruben Castro took full advantage of the numerical difference to score twice for Betis in the final 20 minutes, leaving Guardiola staring at defeat until Seydou Keita headed in an equaliser in the dying moments.

The departing coach can look back with satisfaction on four seasons in which he has won 13 trophies including three leagues titles before Real Madrid triumphed this season.

His final game will be on May 25 when his side take on Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Cup final.

"I have no idea what memories I leave the league with. I hope they are good ones that last a long time," pondered Guardiola.

On the dismissal of Alves and the Brazilian defender's future at the club, Guardiola was more forthcoming.

"Dani's future at the club does not depend on me, but in my opinion he is irreplaceable. Not many players can do what he does and I hope he remains as important to the club in the coming years."

Lionel Messi was unable to add to his 50 league goals on a quiet night for the diminutive Argentine.

It was good news for Barcelona however with the return of Dutch international Ibrahim Afellay who had already missed a good chance a minute before Busquets put the Catalans ahead on nine minutes, flicking home a near post header from a Xavi corner.

Messi tried from distance on 17 minutes and Xavi went close with a floated free-kick just moments later.

On 31 minutes, full-back Adriano burst into the area and curled a right-footed shot that produced a top draw save from Casto Espinosa in the Betis goal.

Then Xavi again went close with a curling free-kick as Barca dominated the first period. Casto came to Betis' rescue again just after the break saving well from Keita, before Betis burst into life.

Victor Valdés saved at the feet of Ruben Castro before Dani Alves received his marching orders for a second booking after a clumsy foul on Ecuadorian forward Jefferson Montero. Betis levelled on 70 minutes as Castro chipped Valdés on being sent clear from a long ball out of defence.

Four minutes later and Castro made it 16 for the season when he coolly slipped the ball past Valdes after a delightful pass from Benat Etxebarria.

Messi almost levelled when he slammed a free-kick against the post in the final minute, before Keita scored with a powerful header in time added-on to save a point for Guardiola.

In the night's other game, third-placed Valencia slumped to a 1-0 loss at Real Sociedad.

Frenchman Antoine Griezmann got the only goal from close-range in the second half after good wing play by Xabi Prieto. Sociedad captain Mikel Aranburu said goodbye to the home crowd after 14 consecutive seasons in the San Sebastián club's first-team.

It was also the final game for Valencia coach Unaí Emery who confirmed this week that he will be coaching Spartak Moscow next season.

Valencia's defeat means they finish the season with a record low number of points for a third-placed team. Their tally of just 61 points -- 30 behind Barca -- is the lowest since the Spanish league moved to a 20-team format in 1987-88.

Ex-player Mauricio Pellegrino will lead Valencia into the Champions League next season.

Lionel Messi scored four times to take his season tally to an unprecedented 72 goals and give Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola a 4-0 win over crosstown rival Espanyol in his last home game at the Camp Nou on Saturday.
 
Messi's scoring display was a fitting farewell for the coach who helped the Argentina forward become the world's best player and forged Barcelona into one of the best teams to have played football.
 
After scoring his Spanish league-record 50th goal, Messi went to the sideline to embrace Guardiola, who is leaving after 13 titles in four seasons.
 
Real Madrid meanwhile, which clinched the league title in the previous round, won 2-1 away to Granada thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo's 45th league goal and David Cortés' own goal in stoppage time.
 
''Life has given me this gift during the past five years of being able to live with these players and enjoy this spectacle,'' Guardiola told the packed stands following his 97th win in 118 home games.
 
''I have been the privileged one, to feel so loved and admired during all these years. Many thanks to all, above all to those who I have worked with every day.''
 
Guardiola will coach Barcelona's last league game at Real Betis away in Seville before having a chance at a 14th piece of silverware in the Copa del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao. Guardiola's assistant Tito Vilanova will then take over.
 
In Granada, Madrid fell behind early after Argentinian Franco Jara robbed Marcelo of the ball, charged up the field and shot under the legs of Madrid goalkeeper Adán Garrido, playing in place of Iker Casillas.
 
The Portuguese star however converted a penalty in the 82nd and Cortés turned a cross into his own goal three minutes into injury time.
 
Madrid has 97 points and can set a league record with 100 points with a win over Mallorca in the final round.
 
Elsewhere, Valencia beat Villarreal 1-0 to clinch third place for the third straight season and automatically qualify for next season's Champions league.
 
Atletico Madrid beat fourth-place Málaga 2-1, giving it a shot at overtaking the Costa del Sol side in the final round and claiming Spain's last Champions League playoff spot.
 
The race to avoid relegation at the bottom end could not be any more dramatic after Zaragoza downed the already-relegated Racing Santander 2-1 and Sporting Gijón beat Betis 1-0. Second-to-last place Sporting has 37 points. Zaragoza and Rayo Vallecano both have 40, while Villarreal has 41 and Granada 42.

*Image courtesy of AP

Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid defeated defending champions Barcelona 2-1 at the Nou Camp, and in the process moved one step closer to winning the La Liga title, having increased the gap to seven points at the top of the table

.Barcelona named Christian Tello into the side instead of Cesc Fabregas while Real Madrid named an unchanged side from their last match defeat against Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena in the Champions League first leg semifinal. 

The away side started the game brightly by pressing hard, trying to disrupt Barcelona’s tiki -taka movements. The game was just three minutes old when, Cristiano Ronaldo rose above his marker meeting a timely jumped header from Ozil’s corner forcing Valdes to make a smart save.

Minutes later, Dani Alves scurried through after capitalizing on an error from Sergio Ramos, but Casillas was equally up to the task, hurried forward and grabbed the ball within his chest.

The visitors took the lead through Sami Khedira who poked in from close range after Pepe’s header from Di Maria’s corner tested Valdes, who couldn’t grab the ball properly while Puyol failed to clear the ball away. 

Cristiano Ronaldo who looked in great touch from the first whistle, took a pass from Benzema in the box but couldn’t hit the target with his left foot.

A moment of brilliance from Lionel Messi saw the Argentine jinking past two defenders before leaving Madrid defence awestruck by threading a scintillating reverse pass to Xavi who failed to guide past Madrid goalie.

Ronaldo and Thiago tried to test both the goalie from long range efforts; however, none could keep their targets on goal.

After the break, Barcelona started to make the early pressures and they created much of their chances through Tello on the wings, who despite positioning superbly at the right place, couldn’t hit the target.

Tello was in the action again few minutes later, when a superb move from Barcelona in the middle found him one-on-one with Madrid custodian, but he missed a sitter leaving the home side frustrated.

Despite keeping possession and making more passes the home side was kept quiet. Xavi before being substituted tried a long range effort that went just wide of the target.

Guardiola took Xavi off and brought Alexis in, keeping in mind of the upcoming Champions League tie probably and the super-sub didn’t take long to find the net when a brilliant pass from Iniesta found Tello on the wings and several attempts and rebounds, including a magnificent save from Casillas, the Chilean restored parity.

It was all Barcelona till that moment. Real Madrid quickly restored the one goal advantage minutes later, when Ozil found a peach of a pass to Ronaldo, who guided the ball past Valdes from a classic counter attack. 

Ronaldo could have grabbed a brace in the injury time, had he not fired the ball from six yards out after great work from substitute Higuain. Barcelona tried to find the equaliser pushed men forward but Madrid defence was resolute enough to see off the challenge. 

Los Blancos courtesy of this victory has now moved seven points clear at the top of the table and though Barcelona are mathematically still in the race, the title surely is now a formality for the Whites. 

Worldwide television audiences shall be excited as much as the hype and paraphernalia in Barcelona this weekend. 

The 35th round of Spain's Primera División is capitulating into a feast with all eyes on Saturday night local time at the Camp Nou.

Europe's largest capacity all-seater stadium has witnessed an array of glorious 'clásicos' in the past. Expect yet another colossal and picturesque mosaic from the Catalan faithful up in the stands.

This upcoming mouth-watering clash, the second and last for season 2011/12 shall in grand measure decide the outcome of the La Liga title.

After unexpected defeats for both respective sides in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League in mid-week, there is no room to restore energy for a comeback with the remaining with four more rounds until May 12th.

Barça knows that a victory over their most arch-rival enemy and historic foe will be a determining factor to cut back their four-point deficit held by Mourinho's men.

Real Madrid on the other hand could play with the current circumstance to their favour knowing of course, a victory against all odds will all but surely secure the season's title.

Alexis Sánchez is in doubt for the match after receiving several knocks to the knee particularly one from John Terry at Stamford Bridge. There is certainty however coming from Pep Guardiola that central defender Gerard Piqué will be fit and present for the showdown.

As for Real Madrid, their trip to Munich would have served as a constructive outlook to begin a rotation of sorts.

Mourinho has spoken and indicated he will be leaving German playmaker Mesut Özil, Portuguese left-back Fabio Coentrao and Frenchman Karim Benzema out for the expense of Brazilian duo Kaká and Marcelo, alongside Argentine forward Gonzalo Higuaín.

SoccerAnchor.com will keep updating news for you in the lead-up to 'El Clásico'.