BARCELONA (AFP) - Barcelona teenager Lionel Messi dominated the Spanish league headlines after his spectacular hat-trick saved the Catalan club's blushes in the 3-3 draw with bitter rivals Real Madrid.

The Argentine winger, who does not turn 20 until June, salvaged a point for 10-man Barca with a wonderfully taken goal a minute into injury time in Saturday's clash at the Nou Camp.

"He's a magnificent talent. His goals saved us," acknowledged Barca coach Frank Rijkaard.

On Sunday, Barcelona stayed top of the league thanks in part to FC Sevilla's 1-0 defeat at lowly Tarragona, who are sitting second from bottom of the table.

Sevilla, who had beaten Barcelona 2-1 earlier in the season, remain in second place thanks to inferior goals difference to Barcelona. They also have 50 points from 26 games.

Valencia sit in third place on 47 points.

However the east coast side, the last remaining Spanish club in the Champions League, ended their 1-1 draw with Osasuna thanking their lucky stars - and striker Fernando Morientes, who snatched a last-gasp equaliser.

Barcelona, the reigning Spanish champions, looked well on their way to their first La Liga defeat at home this season until Messi produced a move of individual brilliance before finding the net with his left foot.

A freak goal from Sergio Ramos had put Real ahead after 73 minutes after an astonishing first half hour which saw four goals, two apiece for Messi and Real's Ruud Van Nistelrooy.

An error by Barca defender Lillian Thuram helped Real take the lead after five minutes.

A quick counter-attack saw Gonzalo Higuain send the ball into the box but Thuram fell over while trying to clear the Argentine striker's cross and the mis-hit ball went straight to Van Nistelrooy's feet.

The Dutchman had no problems opening the scoring and, with a clear view of the goal, hammered the ball home from the edge of the area.

Real only hung onto their advantage for six minutes before Messi took advantage of the visitors' defensive frailty to sidefoot home a Samuel Eto'o pass from the edge of the six yard box.

However, just two more minutes elapsed before Real were back in front again.

Van Nistelrooy got his second goal of the night, and 14th of the season, from the spot after Oleguer Presas had fouled Jose Maria 'Guti' Gutierrez.

Messi then brought Barca back level again added to his tally by clinically taking his second goal after 28 minutes, mopping up after Ronaldinho had his effort parried away by Casillas.

Barca were then reduced to 10 men when Oleguer got his second yellow card in the dying seconds of the first half.

With Barca coach Frank Rijkaard having ambitiously opted to play a 3-4-3 formation from the outset, he was forced to shore up his defence at half time with Eto'o being replaced by the Brazilian defender Sylvinho.

Barcelona managed to slow the game down but Van Nistelrooy nearly got his third goal after 64 minutes when he was set free by Higuain but was thwarted by Valdes, who got an outstretched hand to the ball.

"We had several clear opportunities to get more goals but the Barcelona goalkeeper made many important saves," reflected Real's under-fire coach Fabio Capello.

Sergio Ramos put them back in front, the ball spinning backwards off his head from a Guti free kick and the Spanish international's expression clearly showed that it was a fluke.

In addition to Oleguer's dismissal nine other players were booked including Real's Malian midfielder Mahamadou Diarra, who misses next Sunday's game at home to relegation-threatened Gimnastic Tarragona.