Barcelona score six in Getafe stroll

Barcelona have missed eight penalties in La Liga this season after Lionel Messi's effort was saved following a trip on Neymar

Lionel Messi scored one goal, made three and missed a penalty as Barcelona beat lowly Getafe 6-0 to briefly go 11 points clear at the top of La Liga.

Barcelona's 12th successive league win was launched by an own goal from Juan Rodriguez before Munir El Haddadi headed in from Messi's cross.

Neymar converted a Messi pass before Messi fired home to make it 4-0.

Neymar got his second from another Messi pass six minutes after the break before Arda Turan hooked in the sixth.

Second-placed Atletico Madrid beat Deportivo La Coruna 3-0 later on Saturday to reduce Barcelona's advantage back to eight points as Luis Enrique's side closes in on a successful defence of their title.

Relive Barcelona's comfortable win

Arsenal next up at Nou Camp

Arsenal face a near impossible task to turn around a 2-0 deficit when they go to Barcelona for the second leg of their last-16 tie in the Champions League on Wednesday.

And any hopes they had of Barca having to extend themselves here were soon extinguished.

Lionel Messi's goal was his ninth in five games

Neymar's two goals took his total for the season to 25

The European champions barely had to break sweat in a glorified training exercise against a team that has now lost eight of its past nine games, leaving plenty in the tank to face the Gunners.

They were also able to give Luis Suarez the afternoon off - Barca's top scorer an unused substitute.

In his absence, Messi and Neymar took their combined total for the season to 61 goals, though Messi once again missed from the penalty spot.

Barca may not be brilliant at the back, but once again their defence was not tested and it is hard to see their prolific strikeforce failing to boost their tally against Arsenal.

Arda Turan's goal was the Turkey international's second in La Liga

What they said

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique: "This is a unique team, different to the rest and which does things that make it seem like there is nothing the opponent can do.

"It is a great pleasure to be in this position."

Getafe coach Fran Escriba: "We didn't have a chance. The game was lost from 2-0."