Spanish League: That’s a six for Barcelona

Barcelona’s Lionel Messi (right) vies for the ball with Santiago Vergini of Getafe in their Spanish League match at Camp Nou in Barcelona on Saturday. Barcelona won 6-0. (Photo: AP)

Lionel Messi scored, provided three assists and missed a penalty as Barcelona pressed home their advantage at the top of La Liga with a 6-0 thrashing of Getafe on Saturday.

Atletico Madrid stayed eight points adrift of Barca at the top with 3-0 win over Deportivo la Coruna thanks to goals from Saul Niguez, Antoine Griezmann and Angel Correa.

Juan Rodriguez’s own goal opened the scoring at the Camp Nou, before Messi saw his penalty saved by Vicente Guaita, teed up Munir El Haddadi and Neymar and smashed home his 36th goal of the season all before half-time.

Neymar and Arda Turan rounded off the scoring to seal Barca’s 12th straight La Liga win after the break.

An eighth defeat in nine games leaves Getafe just a point above the relegation zone.

“This is a unique team, different to the rest and which does things that make it seem like there is nothing the opponent can do,” said Barca boss Luis Enrique.

The European champions weren’t even at full strength as Enrique left Luis Suarez on the bench ahead of Barca’s return to Champions League action against Arsenal on Wednesday.

Yet, the hosts still only took seven minutes to break the deadlock as Jordi Alba’s driven cross towards Messi was scooped into the far corner of his own net by Rodriguez.