Barcelona took the lead on El Madrigal already after three minutes when Pau Torres steered Jordi Alba's effort into his own goal.

The receipt nevertheless came quickly when the home team's attacking star Gerard Moreno set his 16th goal of the season.

Then only 14 minutes had been played and already six minutes later Barcelona responded again. It was time for the offensive stars to step forward.

Beautiful lift by Griezmann

First, Luis Suarez placed the ball neatly at the far post and just before the break Lionel Messi knocked the ball to the Frenchman Antoine Griezmann who deliciously chipped the ball over Sergio Asenjo in the "yellow submarine" goal.

Griezmann had been sitting on the bench the last two games, but was clearly in the mood for Villarreal.

Messi also had a ball in the net masks when he stood completely himself with tired-running Villarreal slopes around him, but it was sentenced for offside after video review.

With a few minutes left to play, super talent Ansu Fati, 17, put the nail in the coffin to 4-1.

Four matches left

Four points difference in the top and four games left for each team thus. Barcelona have a difficult task if they want to go for Real Madrid, which has a pretty modest game schedule on paper.

The last major league team won La Liga was 2017. The rivals from Barcelona have taken four of the last five league titles.