JUAN RIQUELME, Pablo Aimar, Ariel Ortega, Andres D’Alessan-dro and Carlos Tevez have all been labelled the “new Mara-dona”, despite none touching El Diego’s iconic status. Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, however, is providing a more enduring challenge.

The sublime 19-year-old netted twice, but Barça allowed a stoppage-time equaliser to frustrate their title hopes against city rivals Espanyol in their penultimate league game. Messi’s goals, and Madrid’s draw at Zaragoza, retained the status quo at the top of Spain’s Primera Liga with one game to play. Sevilla, lying in third, also drew last night, away to Real Mallorca.

Yet it was the manner of Messi’s first goal that will cause great controversy in the Spanish capital, for it virtually replicated Maradona’s famous Hand of God goal.

Barça started the game on the same points as their eternal foes, but in second position as Madrid have fared better in head-to-head clashes between the pair this season, and needing a win.

On a hot and humid Catalan evening, Frank Rijkaard’s team attacked from the start. Gud-johnsen, playing in the position usually occupied by the suspended Ronaldinho, skewed a shot wide, before Espanyol’s top scorer Raul Tamudo forced a save from Valdes.

A Xavi shot was parried away by Kameni in the12th minute and Messi, showing an impudence which will have impressed the watching Valentino Rossi, struck a shot across the goal after his footwork befuddled the visiting defence. It was Espanyol, however, who took the lead in the 29th minute when a defence-splitting pass from the outstanding De La Pena set up Tamudo, who arched the ball into the top corner for this seasons’ Uefa Cup finalists.

With just 200 away fans, there was near silence from the huge 94,000 crowd, many carrying radios to keep abreast of Real Madrid’s game. The news that Madrid had gone a goal behind by a goal was the catalyst for Barça’s fans to find their voices.

Their team soon found the net when Messi tipped a Xavi cross over Kameni with his hand in the 44th minute. Espanyol’s players surrounded the referee, justifiably outraged.

Mid-table Espanyol are also-rans in their home town, patronised by the Barça-obsessed media. They wanted to prevent Barça’s third consecutive league title, but that prospect seemed remote with Messi’s second, a low shot from the right of the box on 56 minutes. Barca’s joy was immediately tempered by news that Madrid had equalised, and it was dented even further as Tamudo found the net.

Now the title will be at stake when Barça play Ginmastic de Tarragona next Sunday.