Barcelona's impressive Derbi Barceloni record continued with a 5-0 win over fellow Catalonian side Espanyol, a fixture they have lost only nine times since 1928 inside the Camp Nou, thanks to a sublime solo show from star-man Lionel Messi.
The Argentine bagged his 38th career hat-trick - with two in the first half and one in the second - before Gerard Pique and Luis Suarez rounded up proceedings with two late goals on a night where the majority of the football played was certainly not free flowing or exhilarating.
But Barca did more than enough to sweep aside the spirited Budgerigars and now find themselves top of La Liga as one of only two sides who still hold their 100% winning record.