Barcelona 2 Athletic Bilbao 0: Paco Alcacer and Lionel Messi net first half goals to extend Barca’s lead at top of La Liga
Ernesto Valverde's men are now 11 points clear of Atletico Madrid, and remain unbeaten in 29 top-flight matches this season
BARCELONA extended their lead to 11 points at the top of La Liga after easing to a 2-0 win against Athletic Bilbao.
Paco Alcacer opened the scoring early on at the Nou Camp, before Lionel Messi scored yet another exquisite finish to seal the points for Barca.
It didn't take long for Ernesto Valverde's men to take the lead, with Alcacer seizing a rare starting opportunity to net the opener after just eight minutes.
Replacing the suspended Luis Suarez up front, the former Valencia forward dispatched his strike low into the bottom corner after being found on the penalty spot by Jordi Alba.
Messi then forced Bilbao goalkeeper Kepa into a fine save moments later, before Philippe Coutinho saw a shot cannon against the crossbar in the 15th minute.
And Barca's continued pressure paid off when the Argentinian maestro netted for the sixth consecutive game in the 30th minute.
The 30-year-old latched onto Ousmane Dembele's fizzing pass, before taking one touch and firing a strike beyond the outstretched arms of the Real Madrid target from just outside the box.
Coutinho then clipped the woodwork yet again, as the ex-Liverpool playmaker chipped the ball over the onrushing Kepa, but the ball bounced off the top of the bar.
Tottenham flop Paulinho was then the latest player to have his head in his hands, after his strike smashed against the post in the 44th minute to cap a dominant, but frustrating half for the Catalan club.
Bilbao started off the second period on the front foot, with Inigo Lekue pulling a shot wide from 25 yards out, before Sabin Merino spurned two opportunities to pull a goal back for Jose Angel Ziganda's side.
The away side again almost went close in the 68th minute, but Inaki Williams was denied by a brilliant tackle from Alba when it looked as though the winger was through on goal.
Messi then almost grabbed his second of the afternoon in the closing stages, but he dragged his effort wide of the right post after dancing his way inside the penalty area.