Lionel Messi kept alive Barcelona's unbeaten streak in the Spanish league by coming off the bench and scoring an 89th-minute equalizer to draw with Sevilla 2-2 on Saturday.

Sevilla led 2-0 until the 88th minute when Luis Suarez scored. Then Messi got on the board a minute later to keep the Catalan club's 30-match unbeaten run going.

Messi, who recently missed two international friendlies with Argentina because of an unspecified leg muscle problem, started on the bench at Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium and went on in the 58th, not long after Sevilla scored its second through Luis Muriel. Franco Vazquez put the hosts ahead in the first half.

Suarez scored from inside the area and Messi quickly got the equalizer with a well-placed left-footed shot into the lower corner, taking his league-leading tally to 26.

Sevilla had good chances for its third goal while it was leading.

Barcelona has a 12-point lead over second-place Atletico Madrid, which hosts struggling Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday.

Sevilla stayed in sixth place.

Sevilla and Barcelona will play the Copa del Rey final on April 21 at Atletico's Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid.

Real Madrid moves within a point of Atletico

Real Madrid overcame the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo to defeat Las Palmas 3-0 and move within a point of second-place Atletico Madrid in the Spanish league on Saturday.

With Ronaldo rested for Tuesday's visit to Juventus in the Champions League quarterfinals, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema took over to give the defending league champions a comfortable win in the Canary Islands.

Bale opened the scoring in the 26th minute after a long throughball by Luka Modric, making a run from near the midfield line before entering the area and finding the top corner with a powerful left-footed shot.

Benzema added to the lead by converting a 39th-minute penalty kick after Lucas Vazquez was fouled inside the area, and Bale netted his second goal by converting another penalty kick early in the second half after he was brought down inside the box.

"It's an important victory going into the game against Juventus," Vazquez said. "We are going through a good moment."

In addition to Ronaldo, coach Zinedine Zidane also rested defender Sergio Ramos, midfielder Francisco "Isco" Alarcon, left back Marcelo, and midfielder Toni Kroos.

Defender Nacho Fernandez had to be replaced in the first half because of an apparent muscle injury in his right leg.

Madrid is out of contention for the Spanish league title but Ronaldo remains in the race for top scorer with 22, three less than Lionel Messi.

Las Palmas stayed in 18th place, seven points behind Levante, the first team outside the relegation zone.

GIRONA HELD

Levante held Girona to 1-1, ending the Catalan club's home winning streak and moving further from the relegation zone.

Girona, in its inaugural season in the first division, had won six straight games at home without conceding any goals.

Girona went ahead early in the second half with a shot by Alex Granell, who found the top corner from outside the area.

Levante equalized less than 15 minutes later through Jose Luis Morales from close range following a quick breakaway.

Girona stayed in seventh place, still in contention for a Europa League spot next season.

Levante remained 17th, but it opened a seven-point lead over Las Palmas, the first team inside the relegation zone. The result extended Levante's unbeaten streak to four matches. It hasn't lost since Paco Lopez took over the team after coach Juan Lopez Muniz was fired.

"We moved a point closer to our goal of avoiding relegation," Lopez said.

CELTA EQUALIZES LATE

Brais Mendez scored in injury time for Celta Vigo to draw at Athletic Bilbao 1-1, a result that kept both teams near the middle of the table.

Celta was ninth, three points ahead of Athletic in 12th.