Five-star Barca smash Villarreal

Barcelona got the defence of their Primera Liga title off to a winning start with a stunning 5-0 win over Villarreal at Camp Nou.

Fabregas on mark in Barca rout

Barcelona got the defence of their Primera Liga title off to a winning start with a stunning 5-0 win over Villarreal at Camp Nou. Cesc Fabregas marked his league debut for Barca with a goal with further strikes from Lionel Messi (2), Thiago and Alexis Sanchez sealing the rout. Barcelona's first chance fell to Sanchez in the sixth minute but his shot was held well by Diego Lopez. In the 17th minute the hosts forged another opportunity when Pedro slipped in Messi on the left and Lopez had to be alert to make the near-post save, before Sergio Busquets' header from the resulting corner bounced off the top of the bar. The Catalan side's season was up and running when Thiago claimed their first league goal of the season. The midfielder was allowed to carry the ball forward unopposed before simply firing it past Lopez with his left foot. Rossi immediately burst into life and was not far off with a powerful shot at the other end. The 38th minute saw him go close, smashing a shot which Victor Valdes saved only for the ball to bounce up on the line before the goalkeeper swiped it away. However, a raised flag confirmed Rossi had been ruled offside anyway.

Fabregas strike

The second goal came on the stroke of half-time and former youth team colleagues Messi and Fabregas were at the heart of it. Argentinian Messi dropped deep to play an inch-perfect ball through to meet Fabregas' run and the former Arsenal star nudged it around Lopez before tapping in. Early in the second half Sanchez joined Fabregas as a goalscorer on his debut and this time Thiago was the provider, playing a delightful ball through the defence for Sanchez to race on to and place past Lopez with the measured finish. Fabregas had another chance of his own seconds later as Barcelona continued to pile forward. It was 4-0 in the 51st minute with a similarly incisive passing move, Iniesta playing a give-and-go before slotting through for Messi to round Lopez and score. Fabregas was given an ovation when he was replaced by Jonathan Dos Santos in the 70th minute before Messi got his second of the night when he crashed home after a lovely one-two with Thiago. Home goalkeeper Victor Valdes was alert when suddenly called on to deny Javier Camunas five minutes from time as Villarreal sought in vain for a positive to take from the match.