Barca score 5 to remain top in Spain

FC Barcelona remained top of the Liga Santander and gave themselves a major morale boost ahead of Wednesday's Champions League game against Paris Saint German when they beat Celta Vigo 5-0 on Saturday night.

Leo Messi produced another stunning performance and scored twice, along with Neymar, Ivan Rakitic and Samuel Umtiti to show that Luis Enrique's midweek announcement that he would leave his position as club coach at the end of the season appears to have had little effect.

Barca have scored 11 goals in their last two games: the perfect preparation for Wednesday when they will try to overturn a 4-0 deficit against the French Champions.

Earlier in the day Karim Benzema enjoyed his best afternoon of the season as Real Madrid returned to form with a 4-1 win away to Eibar.

The French striker scored twice and had a hand in Madrid's other two goals in a game which was as good as over when his two goals and a further strike from James Rodriguez put Madrid 3-0 up after half an hour.

Marcos Asensio made it 4-0 after the hour, before Ruben Pena scored a consolation for the home side.

Villarreal strengthened their case for a swift return to Europe thanks to a routine win over a tidy, but punch-less Espanyol.

An even game tilted Villarreal's way when Roberto Soriano swept home Mario Gaspar's cross in the last minute of the first half and although the visitors had most of the ball after the break, they failed to do anything with it.

An own goal from Diego Lopez after Cedric Bakambu's shot bounced off the post sealed the three points for Villarreal 10 minutes from time.

The day began with Darwin Machis' first goal of the season giving Leganes a vital 1-0 win at home to Granada in a battle between two relegation candidates. Leganes controlled most of the play against a rival who had just one shot on goal, but had to wait until the 84th minute for the decisive goal. Endit