Two goals in a minute from Lionel Messi and Neymar saw Barcelona beat Rayo Vallecano 2-0 on Saturday, in a match that saw Barça goalkeeper Claudio Bravo break the club record for longest start to the season without conceding.

After relinquishing top spot in La Liga to Valencia that beat Atletico Madrid 3-1 earlier in the day, Barcelona regained the lead with a sixth win in seven league matches this season at the Madrid based club.

Bravo was first to be called to action, saving well from Alberto Bueno’s effort after nine minutes, before Messi was denied at the other end at the near post after being set up by a chipped pass from Neymar.

Barcelona’s goalkeeper then broke a 36-year old record midway through the first half, having kept a cleansheet for over 560 consecutive minutes to beat the previous all-time record set by Pello Artola for Barcelona at the start of the 1977-78 season.

Messi meanwhile had a goal ruled out for offside just after the half-hour mark but the Argentine maestro eventually got his goal moments later, getting on to a Gerard Pique pass and beating off a defender before scoring in the 35th minute.

The goal took Messi’s all-time tally in La Liga to 249 goals, bringing him to within two goals of the all-time record of 251 goals held by Telmo Zarra.

A minute later and Neymar doubled the lead with his eighth in eight matches for Barça, slotting in a composed finish after being set up by Munir El Haddadi, who was denied by the Vallecano goalkeeper when through on goal four minutes before the break.

Rayo was reduced to 10 men on the hour mark after Morcillo received a second booking for a foul on Neymar, opening the game up for Barcelona with Ivan Rakitic shooting straight at the goalkeeper second after coming on and Messi missing a handful of chances afterwards.

The home side was then reduced to nine men in stoppage time after Aquilo received his second booking as well, as Barcelona claimed a relatively easy win at the Vallecas Teresa Rivero stadium.