LIONEL MESSI scored his third goal of the game in injury time to rally Barcelona to a 3-3 draw with rival Real Madrid in the Spanish league in Madrid on Saturday.

Both sides scored twice in the opening 28 minutes at Nou Camp, with Ruud van Nistelrooy accounting for both of Madrid’s goals, one from a penalty.

Defender Sergio Ramos gave Madrid a 3-2 lead in the 73rd minute.

Barcelona played with 10 men after defender Oleguer Presas was ejected in 45th minute and appeared headed for a third straight defeat. The Catalan team lost to Sevilla last weekend and then was eliminated from the European Champions League by Liverpool on Tuesday.

“I was given a lot of space by my teammates. I tried to take advantage and today it worked out. It was a very special match,” Messi told La Sexta TV Station. “Madrid benefitted from having an extra player. If it hadn’t, the game would have been very different.”

Madrid’s performance will likely ease the criticism of coach Fabio Capello, whose tenure came under additional scrutiny after it was eliminated from the Champions League by Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

In Barcelona, both teams started quickly. Van Nistelrooy put Madrid ahead in the fifth minute after a weak pass by teammate Gonzalo Higuain was deflected into his path by Barcelona defender Lilian Thuram. The striker sidefooted the ball home from the edge of the area.

Barcelona replied six minutes later when Messi steered an angled shot past Casillas after an exchange of passes between Samuel Eto’o and Xavi Hernandez.

Madrid reclaimed the lead on a penalty, after Oleguer tripped Jose Maria “Guti” Gutierrez, who was making his 300th league appearance for Madrid. It was Van Nistelrooy’s 14th goal of the season.

Messi equalized a second time, hitting a left-footed volley into the roof of the net from the rebound after Casillas blocked a close-range shot by Ronaldinho.

Oleguer, who received his first yellow card when he conceded the penalty, then went off for his second for a foul on midfielder Fernando Gago.

(SD-Agencies)