Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo is downcast during their Spanish League match against Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium in Seville on Sunday. Real Madrid lost 2-3. (Photo: AP)

Neymar and Luis Suarez once again shone for Barcelona in Lionel Messi’s absence as Barcelona beat Villarreal 3-0 to move three points clear at the top of La Liga on Sunday.

The European champions were frustrated by a solid first-half display from the visitors, but finally made the breakthrough on the hour mark when Neymar slotted home Sergio Busquets’s through ball.

Neymar then stood aside to let Suarez seal the three points from the penalty spot after Munir El Haddadi had been brought down by Jaume Costa.

And the Brazilian rounded off a sensational display as he volleyed home a stunning third five minutes from time.

Barca’s next outing comes against Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu on November 21.

Between them Suarez and Neymar have compensated for Messi’s injury layoff with knee ligament damage by scoring all of Barca’s last 17 league goals as the Catalans have dropped just three points since the Argentine went off injured.

Sevilla stunner for Real Real Madrid suffered their first defeat of the season as they squandered a 1-0 lead to lose 2-3 at Sevilla on Sunday.

Rafael Benitez’s men are now three points adrift of leaders Barcelona.

Sergio Ramos’s spectacular overhead kick had given Madrid the perfect start in Seville, but Ciro Immobile’s equaliser 10 minutes before the break turned the game on its head.

Goals after the break from Ever Banega and Fernando Llorente put Sevilla in the driving seat.