Lamine Yamal scored his first career hat trick as Barcelona celebrated Hansi Flick's 100th game in charge with a 4-1 LaLiga victory over Villarreal.

Yamal took his league tally for the season to 13 with a brilliant treble and Robert Lewandowski rounded off matters with a simple stoppage-time tap-in.

Papa Gueye had given third-placed Villarreal hope just after half-time, reducing the deficit to 2-1 at the Spotify Camp Nou.

But Barcelona comfortably extended their 100% home league record to move four points clear of Real Madrid.

Real have a game in hand, which is at home to Getafe on Monday.

The talk before kick-off had been of Flick's milestone match, the former Germany manager saying it was a "great honour to reach this number."

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During the game it was all about Yamal's outlandish brilliance as the 18-year-old winger ran Villarreal ragged.

Barcelona took time to get into their stride with their only early effort of note being a blocked Fermín López shot.

Villarreal were content to soak up pressure and break on the counter, and it was a tactic that almost paid off.

The home defence was stretched by a swift Villarreal raid, but Sergi Cardona's cross was cut out at the near post.

Jules Koundé dragged horribly wide from Barcelona's best move, and growing home pressure saw Luiz Júnior gather from Yamal.

Barcelona struck after 28 minutes with Yamal back on the scoresheet, ending a three-game mini-drought after scoring in the previous five.

Gueye was caught in possession near the halfway line and Lopez released Yamal, who produced an unerring left-footed finish.

Yamal produced an even better strike nine minutes later after picking up the ball tight on the touchline.

The teenager wriggled inside, dropped the shoulder to round Cardona, and then beat Alberto Moleiro before sending a curling shot into the top corner from 14 yards.

Villarreal went close when the stretching Ayoze Pérez diverted Nicolas Pépé's cross wide, but Barcelona were threatening to score at every opportunity.

Raphinha's free-kick was pushed aside by Luiz Junior, and Kounde flicked the ball home before being denied by an offside flag.

Yamal spurned a hat-trick chance right on half-time but Villarreal were back in the contest out of nowhere four minutes after the restart.

Santiago Mouriño touched a corner into the path of Gueye, who was played onside by Raphinha and finished with aplomb.

Barcelona were almost breached again when Joan García rushed needlessly out of his goal.

The ball broke for Perez but his effort from 30 yards went wide of the gaping net.

Yamal flashed another shot wide, but he was not to be denied the hat-trick after substitute Pedri set up another emphatic finish after 69 minutes.

Substitute Lewandowski had the final word converting Kounde's centre despite an offside flag, with the goal allowed to stand following a VAR intervention.