( CNN ) -- Lionel Messi scored his 91st and final goal of 2012 on Saturday as Barcelona enjoyed a comfortable 3-1 win over Real Valladolid at the Estadio Jose Zorrilla . The Argentine forward 's 60th minute goal -- courtesy of his trusty left boot -- doubled the league leaders ' lead after Xavi had opened the scoring two minutes before halftime . The home side halved the deficit in the 89th minute when Javi Guerra scored before Cristian Tello added a third for Barcelona in injury time . The result leaves Barcelona nine points clear at the top of the table with 49 points from 17 games as La Liga heads into a Christmas break . The win followed an announcement by the Catalan club on Saturday that coach Tito Vilanova had been released from hospital following an operation to remove a tumor from a salivary gland . Read : Vilanova recovering after cancer op . `` Given a quick post-surgery recovery Tito Vilanova has been allowed to leave hospital on Saturday afternoon . The Barca coach was operated on Thursday according to plan , '' a statement from the club said . The 44-year-old will now undergo a course of radiotherapy and chemotherapy . Caretaker boss Jordi Roura , who watched Barcelona beat Valladolid , will continue in Vilanova 's absence . Real Madrid crashed to their fourth league defeat of the season at Malaga . The reigning champions went down 3-2 at the Estadio La Rosaleda with all five goals coming in the second half . Blog : Will Guardiola return to Barcelona ? Isco opened the scoring for the home side four minutes after the break before a Sergio Sanchez own goal made the scores level in the 66th minute . But two goals in three minutes from substitute Roque Santa Cruz consigned Madrid to defeat . The Paraguayan striker -- on loan from Manchester City -- tapped in his first in the 73rd minute after Joaquin had flicked on a Gamez cross before firing home again three minutes later . Karim Benzema gave traveling fans hope when he pulled one back eight minutes from the end but Madrid 's search for an equalizer went unrewarded . The win takes Malaga -- who have been banned from playing in UEFA club competitions next season after falling foul of the European governing body 's Financial Fair Play regulations -- to within two points of third-placed Madrid . Read : Malaga handed ban for financial irregularities . Elsewhere in La Liga , struggling Mallorca came from behind to beat fifth-place Real Betis at the Estadio Benito Villamarin . Benat gave the home side the lead in the fifth minute before strikes from Victor on the half-hour mark and a 47th minute penalty from Javi Marquez sealed three points to lift Mallorca out of the relegation zone . Granada also lifted themselves free of relegation trouble with a 2-1 win at fellow strugglers Osasuna .
Lionel Messi starts 2012 in style with his 91st goal of the year as Barcelona beat Valladolid 2 - 1 . Barcelona announce that Vilanova has been released from contract following cancer surgery . Real Madrid crash to a 3 - 2 defeat at Malaga ; Mallorca out of bottom three after 2 - 1 defeat at Real Betis .