Even Mascherano scores as Barcelona hammer Osasuna 7-1

Barcelona produced a convincing performance as they beat Osasuna 7-1 on Wednesday to stay top of La Liga, with Javier Mascherano scoring his first ever goal in the process. 

There were also braces for Lionel Messi, Andre Gomes and Paco Alcacer as Luis Enrique's side won the first of five games they will have to win if they want to retain their league title. 

'Thanks Messi' was a banner displayed at Camp Nou before the game in reference to the Argentine reaching 500 goals for the club in the win over Real Madrid. It took him just 12 minutes to score number 501, racing down on the goalkeeper, taking a couple of cheeky touches and chipping the ball home. 

Gomes scored the second, giving Barça a two-goal half-time lead thanks to a good finish from a low Ivan Rakitic cross. 

Barça began the first half slowly and when Sergio Busquets gave a free-kick away on the edge of the area, Roberto Torres sent the ball flying past Marc-Andre ter Stegen. 

That woke Barça up, though, and they were relentless for the rest of the game. 

Gomes added his second, finishing well inside the area after Gerard Pique had hit the post, and Messi then produced another great finish from the edge of the box. The Argentine genius was then taken off for Carles Aleña, bathed in chants from the Camp Nou crowd. 

Messi was done for the night, but Barça weren't. Alcacer scored the fifth, finishing well after a good pass from Arda Turan. 

Then came Mascherano's moment. Without a goal in 318 previous appearances for the club, he fired home from the spot after Denis Suarez had been fouled. The home supporters loved it. 

And with time ticking down -- on the game and Osasuna's top flight stay, Leganes' win meant by the end of Wednesday they were relegated -- Alcacer rounded the goalkeeper to score his second and Barça's seventh.