A wonder strike from Lionel Messi sent Barcelona on their way to a comfortable 4-0 victory over relegation-threatened Almeria at the Nou Camp.
Messi’s beautifully placed curler came after 33 minutes and was followed by a second half brace from Luis Suarez and a header from defender Marc Bartra, giving Luis Enrique’s men their 10th consecutive victory in all competitions.
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Nevertheless, they were slightly flattered by the scale of the victory against weak opposition and will need to improve to pick up maximum points from Saturday’s much more testing trip to in-form Sevilla.
The fluidity of the team wasn’t helped by the fact that Enrique made several changes, giving rare starts to Bartra, Pedro and Sergi Roberto, and although that will help preserve energy for later challenges it also strengthened the suspicion that Barca have lost some rhythm following the international break.
The first goal attempt from the visitors – under the new management of former Barca player Sergi Barjuan – was far more dangerous, as ex-Espanyol striker Thievy Bifouma did brilliantly to wriggle into space and cut the ball back for Wellington Silva, whose low snap-shot was deflected wide.
The hosts then lost their way and failed to create any openings for a lengthy period, only looking remotely dangerous when Pedro and Suarez sent low drives flashing across the face of goal.
But the monotony was broken in spectacular style by Messi, who received a pass on the right wing and, with seemingly nowhere to go, cut inside to the right corner of the penalty box before whipping an outrageously precise shot beyond the dive of visiting keeper Julian and into the far corner.
Versatile defender Adriano – deputising for the injured Jordi Alba – had a long-range strike held by Julian early in the second half before Barca doubled their advantage as Suarez received a pass from Dani Alves before thumping a powerful left-footed strike into the top corner.
Although Almeria occasionally threatened with the pace and trickery of Bifouma on the break, the outcome was in doubt from that moment, and there were long periods of inactivity until a right wing corner from Xavi was met by the unmarked Bartra, who powered a firm header into the bottom left corner.
Following Jeremy Mathieu’s winner at Celta Vigo on Sunday, Bartra’s goal was the fifth consecutive league game in which Barca have scored from a set-piece – a major improvement to their game under Enrique.
Messi had a free-kick well saved and Thomas Partey was denied a spectacular overhead volley consolation by an offside flag, before the scoring was completed in injury time when Messi and Pedro combined for the latter to square for Suarez to easily tap in his second of the night into the empty net.
