Barcelona took a step closer to the La Liga title after earning a hard-fought 2-1 win over Real Sociedad at the Nou Camp, with goals from defenders Clement Lenglet and Jordi Alba restoring their nine-point lead at the top of the table.
Barca lead the standings on 77 points after 33 games, comfortably clear of nearest challengers Atletico Madrid who won 1-0 at Eibar earlier in the day.
French centre back Lenglet scored his first league goal for the Catalans to break the deadlock against the stubborn visitors right at the end of the first half with a crashing header from Ousmane Dembele's corner.
Sociedad were rewarded for their intelligent display when forward Juanmi equalised in the 62nd minute, sliding in to meet an incisive pass from Mikel Merino and diverting it past Barca's Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
But Barca hit back almost immediately when Lionel Messi picked out Alba, who did his best impression of the Argentine by cutting in from the left wing and producing a magnificent curling finish into the top corner.
The win keeps Barca's lead at nine points with five games to go after Atletico Madrid's 1-0 win at Eibar earlier in the day.
Diego Simeone's men - without suspended forwards Antoine Griezmann and Diego Costa - left it late but took the three points thanks to substitute Thomas Lemar's close-range finish in the 85th minute.
Celta Vigo moved up to 14th with a 2-1 win over Girona.
Iago Aspas opened the scoring in the 34th minute, and though Portu levelled three minutes into the second half Sofiane Boufal clinched the points with 21 minutes to go.
Bottom duo Rayo Vallecano and Huesca shared the points from a goalless draw which does little to aid either's hopes of survival.
Vallecano are five points adrift of 17th placed Levante, who play Espanyol on Sunday, while Huesca are a further two points back.
