Madrid: A Lionel Messi-inspired Barcelona tightened their grip on the Spanish league title race with a comprehensive 4-0 win at Eibar on Sunday.
Atletico Madrid stayed eight points back of Barca with 10 games remaining as Fernando Torres came off the bench to score in a 3-1 win at Gary Neville’s Valencia.
Munir El Haddadi tapped home the opener from Luis Suarez's cross before Messi doubled Barca's advantage with a brilliant individual effort just before half-time.
Messi doubled his tally from the penalty spot before Suarez lashed home the fourth six minutes from time. Barca’s 11th consecutive league win also stretches their record unbeaten run to 36 games.
Real Madrid remain 12 points adrift of Barca in third despite Cristiano Ronald’'s four-goal show in a 7-1 demolition of Celta Vigo on Saturday. El Haddadi made the most of his rare chance to start in the absence of the suspended Neymar with a simple finish at the back post eight minutes in after Messi’s brilliant pass had played in Suarez behind the Eibar defence.
Eibar then enjoyed a concerted period of pressure and were desperately unlucky not to level when Borja Baston’s cross hit Sergio Busquets and flew inches past the far post.
Yet, just when Eibar looked the most likely to score, Messi killed the game as a contest as he intercepted the ball in midfield and drove towards the goal before firing for his 20th league goal of the season.
