Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha bagged braces as LaLiga leaders Barcelona hammered Villarreal 5-1.
Hansi Flick’s side were looking to re-establish their four-point advantage over rivals Real Madrid at the summit and made the perfect start thanks to Lewandowski’s fifth and sixth goals of the campaign.
Ayoze Perez brought Villarreal back into the contest and the hosts were unlucky not to have more on the board after having goals from Thierno Barry and Nicolas Pepe disallowed.
Barca’s quality proved too much in the second period though and, after Lewandowski missed a penalty for his hat-trick, Raphinha’s double alongside a strike from Pablo Torre help Barca to a sixth win from as many matches.
Lamine Yamal had a quiet opening to the game but he almost produced a moment of brilliance, the 17-year-old getting the ball out of his feet and crashing an effort off the woodwork from range.
Barca netted the opener in the 20th minute.
Torre slipped through Lewandowski and the striker was able to use his strength and power to help him slot home.
Moments after Lewandowski missed a chance to double his tally, he did not pass up the opportunity at a second attempt in the 35th minute.
Yamal’s delicious cross found Eric Garcia and the defender guided it into the path of the Polish striker who flicked it over his head and into an empty net.
Villarreal halved the deficit three minutes later.
Former Arsenal winger Pepe looked menacing for the hosts and was instrumental in the build up as he broke the offside trap and put it on a plate for Perez to tuck home.
The goal gave Villarreal belief and Pepe was denied an equaliser by Marc-Andre ter Stegen minutes later.
There was a moment of worry inside the Estadio de la Ceramica after Ter Stegen was taken off on a stretcher after he landed awkwardly towards the end of the half.
The second half started in the same rampant fashion that the first finished.
Pepe had the ball in the back of the net with a tidy finish across goal but celebrations were cut short by the offside flag.
Barcelona re-established their two-goal advantage before the hour mark when Torre decided to have a go from range and his drilled effort proved too quick for Diego Conde.
Lewandowski was given the chance for his treble from the penalty spot after Yamal was brought down inside the box but the 36-year-old crashed the resulting spot-kick off the post.
Villarreal thought they cut the deficit back to one again when Barry nodded home but VAR intervened to disallow another goal.
Barcelona killed off any chance of a comeback with a fourth as Pau Victor pulled the ball back to Raphinha, who slammed home via a deflection.
Barca’s perfect start to the season was rounded off with a fifth and Raphinha was able to get his second after he bounced an effort over Conde, following a brilliant outside-of-the-boot pass from Yamal.
