The highest compliment you can pay is to say that he played like Lionel Messi - player ratings as Barcelona batter Eibar

BARCELONA

Ter Stegen 8 – Made some great saves including, crucially, stopping Sergi Enrich’s shot after just three minutes.

Semedo 8 – Barca’s second best player, regularly speeding forward and winning the penalty to open the scoring.

Pique 5 – Beaten for Eibar’s goal and produced some loose touches. Currently below his best.

Mascherano 6 – Solid showing from the gritty Argentine on a rare starting spot.

Digne 6 – Decent enough job, without providing anything like the attacking drive of rested Jordi Alba.

Paulinho 7 – The most unexpected new star. Tidy in possession, scored a great header and provided Messi with an assist.

Busquets 7 – Typically composed display in front of his back four.

Iniesta 6 – Flitted in and out of the game before being replaced after an hour.

Deulofeu 5 – Started brightly but got gradually worse and was briefly jeered by a small section of fans.

Messi 10 – The highest compliment you can pay is to say that he played like Lionel Messi.

Denis 7 – Quiet in the first half but sparked to life in the second as Eibar tired, scoring a well-taken goal.

SUBS

Roberto 7 – Plenty of drive and energy, always looking to support the attack.

Rakitic 6 – Kept it simple in midfield as Busquets’s replacement.

Vidal 7 – Full of running after coming on for Deulofeu and teed up Messi’s last goal with a perfect pass.

EIBAR

Dmitrovic 6 – Made a couple of great stops to deny Messi but couldn’t do much to save his team.

Arbilla 6 – Occasionally exposed in defence but tidy coming forward, hitting the post late on.

Galvez 5 – Some well-timed interventions but conceded a silly penalty and struggled – understandably – against Messi.

Oliveira 5 – Didn’t do enough to stem the Messi-inspired flow of Barca attacks.

Junca 8 – Eibar’s outstanding player. Contained Deulofeu and delivered a great cross for the visitors’ goal.

Capa 5 – Playing in a more advanced position than usual but couldn’t exert much influence.

Jordan 4 – A weak link for Eibar in midfield. The game largely passed him by.

Garcia 5 – A reliable presence in Eibar’s strong opening stages but overrun in the second half.

Escalante 6 – Excellent in the first half, linking midfield and attack cleverly, but faded after Barca went ahead.

Inui 6 – Some nice touches from the technically excellent winger, but inconsistent final ball.

Enrich 6 – Scored a well-taken goal but will wish he’d given Eibar the lead with a wonderful early chance.

SUBS

Pena 5 – Pretty anonymous after appearing for the final quarter.

Charles 6 – Added some bite to the Eibar attack late on and was unlucky to hit the bar.

Rivera 5 – Came on with the game decided and couldn’t get involved.