Barcelona produced a masterful performance to demolish Getafe and send a message to Real Madrid, who play on Wednesday.
Lionel Messi opened the scoring with a chipped penalty, Luis Suarez doubled the lead before the half-hour mark and Neymar added a third moments later, the 100th goal of the season between the trio.
Xavi Hernandez curled into the top corner to make it 4-0 as Getafe were given a hammering, the game over long before half time.
Suarez rubbed salt in the wound with a fifth with five minutes of the half remaining, turning the second half into a procession.
Messi curled into the far corner to start the second half and finish the scoring.
The onus is now on Los Blancos, who host Almeria, to record a victory and restore the gap at the top of the table to two points, Barca’s walloping of Getafe extending it to five.
Barca made four changes from the side that beat Espanyol at the weekend, while Getafe made five from the side that lost to Levante, the Coaches ringing the changes after a quick turnaround from Week 33.
The hosts started on the front and, after two Dani Alves shots, were in front inside 10 minutes. Alvaro Arroya tripped Suarez and Messi’s Panenka penalty gave La Blaugrana the lead.
It nearly didn’t last very long, Fredy Hinestroza almost lobbing Claudio Bravo after the goalkeeper was caught in No Man’s Land. He was just about able to claw the ball away before it crossed the goal line.
Messi fired a shot wide of Vicente Guaita’s goal, Marc Bartra looped a Xavi corner wider still and Suarez had a tame effort held as Barca pushed to double the lead.
Getafe had a couple of promising positions as they looked for an equaliser, an Emiliano Velazquez header from Pedro Leon’s corner thumping past the post.
But it was Barca next on the score sheet, Suarez meeting Messi’s in-swinging cross with a volley as the ball dropped over his shoulder.
Neymar got in the act within minutes, dancing through the Getafe defence after Rafinha turned over possession in a dangerous area and Suarez found his Brazilian teammate.
Xavi was next, giving Guaita no chance with a precise shot from the edge of the penalty area that was going nowhere but the top corner.
The veteran was involved in the next dagger to Getafe’s heart, a smart flick of Messi’s pass setting up Suarez for a first-time finish into the far corner.
Messi found the other corner within a few minutes of the second half, a casual but brilliant finish, Barca largely declaring at half-a-dozen.
A few presentable chances came and went, Guaita called into action more than once, but Barca had made their point and, more importantly, claimed three of them.
Barcelona 6-0 Getafe
Messi pen 9, 47, Suarez 25, 40, Neymar 28, Xavi 30
Barcelona: Bravo; Alves (Montoya 68), Bartra, Mathieu, Adriano; Busquets (Sergi Roberto 46), Xavi (Pedro 60), Rafinha; Messi, Suarez, Neymar
Getafe: Guaita; Alexis, Velazquez, Arroyo, Lago; Pedro Leon (Escudero 76), Lacen, Juan Rodriguez (Felip 65), Fredy; Baba (Ivi 49), Emi
Referee: David Fernandez Borbalan
