Barça 4-1 Villarreal: MSN keep the pressure on Real Madrid

Barça 4-1 Villarreal: MSN keep the pressure on Real Madrid

Messi scored twice and there were also goals from Suarez & Neymar

Villarreal equalised through Bakambu but were well beaten in the end

The MSN put on another show as Barcelona beat Villarreal 4-1 to keep the pressure on Real Madrid at the top of the table. 

Lionel Messi scored twice and Neymar and Luis Suarez were also on target, although the visitors had provided a scare when Cedric Bakambu levelled the scores in the first half. 

Barca lead Madrid by three points, although Zinedine Zidane’s side play later on Saturday against Granada and also have a game in hand against Celta Vigo to come. 

Luis Enrique had been expected to pick his Gala XI for the first time in La Liga this season, but instead opted to include Lucas Digne at left-back in place of Jordi Alba. 

After a slow start, the game kicked into life after Neymar’s 21st minute goal, the Brazilian slotting home after Messi’s deflected shot found its way to him. 

Villarreal hit back, though, and equalised when Bakambu beat the offside trap, held off Gerard Pique and fired past Marc-Andre ter Stegens. 

Both sides then exchanged chances and it looked like being level at the break before Messi popped up. The Argentine beat Bruno Soriano, drifted left and his deflected shot beat Andres Fernandez. 

Suarez killed the game off after the break, firing home after a counter attack led by Sergi Roberto. 

The Blaugrana then began to enjoy themselves, with Neymar especially having fun. He made a mockery of Mario and then crossed, with Suarez’s eventual shot blocked by a hand and a penalty awarded. 

Messi chipped the ball home down the middle — his 51st of the campaign and the MSN’s 102nd — as Barca sealed a 4-1 win. 

They’re doing what they have to do, but they still need a Madrid slip up if they’re to win a third consecutive title under Luis Enrique.