Here's some drama ON the pitch. Villarreal concede a free-kick in a dangerous place about 35 yards out. Messi stands over the ball...

Oh dear, that aforementioned Villarreal fan looks to be in a bit of bother. She seems to be dazed and confused after being hit by that wayward Messi shot. Maybe it hit her on the bonce on the way past. The medics are on...

Lionel Messi has stuck his sight on for the first time. The Ballon d'Or winner tries to hit the target with a left-foot pile driver from 20 yards, the ball flies over harmlessly. Well, I say harmlessly...

A female Villarreal fan behind that goal stuck out her hand to stop the ball, looks like she has injured herself...

Image source, AFP

Gianluigi Buffon set a new Serie A record this afternoon but has finally been beaten.

The new mark for not conceding a goal is set at 973 minutes as the legendary keeper is denied an 11th successive clean sheet for Juventus.

It needed a penalty to beat him as Andrea Belotti slotted home a controversially-awarded spot-kick for Torino.

First chance for Barcelona. Ivan Rakitic has a pop from the edge of the Villarreal box, dragging his effort just wide. Home keeper Sergio Asenjo could have been sat back in a deckchair in these opening 10 minutes.

Image source, AFP

Nice cut and thrust to this game so far. Villarreal jabbing away, Barca liable to land a sucker punch on the break. And the sun is shining too. Oh, to be typing away from the east coast of Spain...

Another moment of mild panic for Barcelona. Keeper Claudio Bravo wanders out of his goal to the left, flaps a little bit as the ball drops inside the danger zone. Villarreal, their line led by ex-Spurs man Roberto Soldado, can't pounce and Barca boot clear.

Barca settle down after that early warning. Luis Suarez scurries down the left, chasing the ball like a doormouse scampering after food, only to see his low cross towards Messrs Neymar and Messi blocked.

Villarreal almost strike inside the first minute! The hosts find a slither of space down the left, Trigueros flinging himself at Cedric Bakambu's cross. The ball pings off the body of Barca midfielder Arda Turan though, beats Claudio Bravo but Barca are saved by the left-hand post.

The Yellow Submarine get us under way in a bristling El Madrigal. Can they sink the Barca ship?

Image source, Reuters

It looks like being a double celebration for Juventus with the Bianconeri 2-0 up against their fierce rivals Torino at half-time. 

Paul Pogba's free-kick and Sami Khedira's strike mean Max Allegri's side are set to go six points clear at the top of the table ahead of Napoli's tea-time kick-off against Genoa.

Image source, Reuters

Meanwhile over in Italy, Gianluigi Buffon has broken the Serie A record for the longest time without conceding a goal.

The Juventus and Italy goalkeeper, 38, set a new mark when he prevented Torino from scoring in the first four minutes of their game. 

Sebastiano Rossi previously held the record after going 929 minutes without being beaten for AC Milan in 1994. 

Buffon surpassed Dino Zoff's club record as he kept a 10th successive clean sheet in the leaders' last game.

Italian Serie A

But the continental action is not just consigned to sunny Spain. There's already matches under way in Italy, where there is a big story...

Spain centre-back Gerard Pique returns to the Barca side after missing the midweek Champions League win against Arsenal through suspension. Skipper Andres Iniesta misses out, but - unfortunately for Villarreal - Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar do not...

Barca XI: Bravo, S. Roberto, Pique, Mascherano, Alba, Rakitic, Busquets, Arda Turan, Messi, Neymar, Suarez.

Sevilla XI: Sergio Asenjo, Rukavina, Mario Gaspar, Víctor Ruíz, Bailly, Bruno, Denis Suárez, Trigueros, Samu Castillejo, Soldado, Bakambu

Image source, EPA

Cliche alert! Barca boss Luis Enrique trotted out one of the standard lines in his pre-match chat to the media.

“We can only take things one step at a time and see what happens," he says, despite his team cruising towards a second successive Spanish title.

"So the first thing we have to think about right now is Villarreal. We have to come away from El Madrigal with all three points...but they are one of the best teams in the league. 

"They work together in a very clinical manner and have perfect command of the defensive zone.”

La Liga chiefs might as well hand over the trophy to Barcelona now. There's more chance of Aston Villa avoiding relegation then there is Barca blowing it.

Second-placed Atletico Madrid suffered a surprise slip at Sporting Gijon yesterday, meaning the Catalan giants will go 11 points clear, with eight games left, by beating Villarreal today.

Beep beep! Get out of the way, Barcelona are hurtling towards you, they are not stopping. Is anyone going to slam the brakes on the Barca juggernaut?

Some of Spain and Europe's biggest sides have tried their best since early October. All have failed. 

Lionel Messi and co have not tasted defeat since Sevilla beat them over five months ago, a run stretching a whopping 38 games. The next lambs to the slau....sorry, the next team to play them? Fourth-placed Villarreal.

Image source, Getty Images