Lionel Messi Scores 300th, 301st Career Goals

GRANADA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 16: Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona shoots towards goal during the La Liga match between Granada CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes on February 16, 2013 in Granada, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) (2013 Getty Images)

BARCELONA, Spain – Lionel Messi is the World's Player of the Year for a reason.

Messi scored twice to pass 300 goals for his career, extending his record-setting Spanish league scoring streak to 14 games as Barcelona rallied for a 2-1 win at Granada.

“More than 300 goals. It’s extraordinary what Messi does,” Barca assistant coach Jordi Roura told a press conference according to AFP. “We had a lot of chances and didn’t take them, but he got two goals that are very important.”

Odion Ighalo put the hosts ahead in the 26th minute, and Messi tied it in the 50th when he scored on a rebound of Cesc Fabregas' shot, Messi's 300th competitive goal for Barcelona.

Messi curled in a free kick in the 73rd for his 17th multigoal game of the season and needs two goals to reach 50 for the third straight season.

Barcelona (21-1-2) opened a 15-point lead over second-place Atletico Madrid (16-5-2), which is at Vallodolid on Sunday. Defending champion Real Madrid (14-5-4), which hosts Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, is 19 points back, its largest deficit since it was 20 points behind league-leading Atletico Madrid in May 1996.

Reporting by the Associated Press.