La Liga: Barcelona defeats Villarreal 5-1

In a thrilling encounter on Sunday, Barcelona thrashed Villarreal 5-1, with two goals apiece from Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha, preserving their unbeaten start to La Liga.

Goalie Marc-Andre ter Stegen suffered a possibly serious knee injury and had to be taken off the field on a stretcher, ruining the leaders’ sixth straight league victory.

Lewandowski scored Barcelona’s first two goals at Villarreal’s Estadio de la Ceramica, but he also missed a penalty kick in a highly entertaining match on Spain’s east coast.

Just before halftime, Ayoze Perez got his team back into the match, but two goals by the hosts were disallowed. Pablo Torre and Raphinha’s goals sealed the win for Barcelona.

After second-placed Real Madrid thrashed Espanyol 4-1 on Saturday the Catalans were able to restore a four-point lead on the champions.

Hansi Flick gave Eric Garcia another start in defensive midfield despite his early red card against Monaco in the Champions League midweek.

The German coach also started reserve team players Gerard Martin and Sergi Dominguez, as well as playmaker Torre in place of the injured Dani Olmo.

Teenage star Lamine Yamal hit the post early on before Lewandowski slotted home in the 20th minute after Torre slipped him in.

Villarreal goalkeeper Diego Conde did well to keep out a bundled effort from the Polish striker but Lewandowski pounced after 35 minutes for his second.

Conde saved Garcia’s header well but the former Bayern Munich hitman converted the rebound with an acrobatic finish from close range.

Villarreal were frequently threatening on the counter and Perez gave them a lifeline after the electric Nicolas Pepe set him up.

Ter Stegen thwarted Pepe with a sensational save one-on-one before half-time but the German was soon stricken as he fell badly after catching a corner before the break and was replaced by Inaki Pena.

Pepe finished brilliantly early in the second half but his effort was disallowed for a marginal offside call, and Yeremy Pino hit the bar with a header as Marcelino Garcia Toral’s side drove Barcelona back.

Torre extended Barca’s lead with a deflected strike from the edge of the box, a killer blow given Villarreal’s momentum.

Lewandowski hit the post from the spot after Eric Bailly scythed down Yamal and Villarreal’s Thierno Barry had a goal ruled out for offside.

Raphinha ended any hopes of a home comeback, first with a deflected shot and then finishing after a superb Yamal pass left him with just Conde to beat.

Despite the emphatic victory and 100 percent start, if Ter Stegen’s injury proves to be severe it could dent Barcelona’s title hopes.