Luis Suarez scored a hat-trick as Barcelona came from behind to beat Eibar 3-1 and join Real Madrid at the top of the Primera Division.
– La Liga: Ronaldo on target as Real end Celta run
The Basque minnows took a shock lead after just eight minutes through in-form Atletico Madrid loanee Borja Baston.
Barca responded soon enough. Sergio Busquets played a wonderful lofted ball towards Sandro Ramirez on the right and the youngster volleyed into the area, where Suarez rose to crash a header into the net.
Ander Capa was then caught napping when bringing the ball out from the back and was dispossessed by Neymar, who rushed into the area and teed up Suarez to arrow into the bottom corner for number two.
The Nou Camp was left stunned by referee Carlos del Cerro Grande's decision to give Mascherano a straight red card in the 83rd minute for dissent and Barca fans would have been within their rights to fear a late onslaught from Eibar.
However, their anxieties were quickly banished by Suarez, who took down another cross from Neymar with his chest and rifled into the bottom corner, scoring his second hat-trick as a Barca player.
Luis Enrique's men share the league's summit with Madrid on 21 points thanks to the win, although they have an inferior goal difference.
Villarreal earlier fell further off the pace at the top as they were held to a drab 0-0 draw at lowly Las Palmas.
The Yellow Submarine slipped four points behind Real and Barca, while Las Palmas moved up to third from bottom – ahead of Granada and Levante on goal difference.
David Moyes' Real Sociedad climbed clear of the relegation zone and up to 14th with a thumping 4-0 win at 10-man Levante.
Carlos Vela set the visitors on their way and rounded off the scoring late in the second half, while Imanol Agirretxe netted before half-time to double the visitors' lead and Asier Illarramendi grabbed his first goal since returning to the club.
