Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto (Mascherano 78’), Piqué, Umtiti, Digne (Jordi Alba 75’); Rakitic (André Gomes 83’), Busquets, Iniesta; Messi, Luis Suárez, Neymar. 4-3-3.
Villarreal: Andrés; Mario, Musacchio, Alvaro, Jaume Costa; Jonathan Dos Santos, Rodri, Trigueros, Roberto Soriano (Samu Castillejo 72‘); Bakambu (Adrián López 83’), Soldado (Sansone 72‘). 4-4-2.
Goals:
1-0. 21. Neymar. Collected angled Messi pass and poked shot past Andrés.
1-1. 32. Bakambu. Ran on to Soldado pass and fired shot wide of Ter Stegen.
2-1. 45. Messi. Cut across area and struck shot which deflected in off Mario.
3-1. 69. Luis Suárez. Picked up Sergi Roberto pass and forced shot past Andrés.
4-1. 82. Messi (penalty). After Luis Suárez shot hit Jaume Costa on arm in area.
Yellow cards: Sergi Roberto 16’, Alvaro 19’, Iniesta 64’, Soldado 72’, Musacchio 77’, Jaume Costa 81’.
Barcelona beat fifth placed Villarreal 4-1 on Saturday to stay in first place, ahead of Real Madrid on goal difference, although Zidane’s side still have a game in hand over their arch-rivals. Neymar started things off for the Catalans after combining with Luis Suárez and Messi in the twentieth minute, but Bakambu levelled the scores soon afterwards following a long run from midfield. Piqué, Soldado and Neymar all went close as the game hung in the balance, but Messi restored the lead on the stroke of half time with a shot which took a deflection off Mario to wrong-foot Andrés. The visiting keeper had to save from Neymar and Messi though after the restart, and with twenty minutes to go Luis Suárez made it three after Sergi Roberto set him up following a quickly taken free kick. And a few minutes later the locals were awarded a hotly-disputed penalty after a shot from Suárez hit Jaume Costa on the arm, and Messi stepped up to chip in the resulting spot kick.