Lionel Messi scored his 13th goal in successive La Liga matches as Barcelona recorded a 6-1 victory over Getafe at Camp Nou this afternoon.

Hosts Barca were the dominant force from the first whistle and went on to break the deadlock with six minutes played. Andres Iniesta played in Alexis Sanchez, who in turned and rounded Jordi Codina in the Getafe goal to roll the ball into the net.

Their lead was doubled just seven minutes later thanks to Messi as the Argentine international profited from a passing move involving Iniesta and Thiago to send the ball into the bottom corner.

The same player almost claimed his second of the match with 34 minutes played, but he sent an effort from inside the area against the post after he had been picked out by Sanchez.

Barca continued to mount attacks after the restart, although it took them until the 58th minute to put the game beyond Getafe's reach with a third goal. David Villa was the scorer, turning the ball in from close range following a pass by Jordi Alba.

Sanchez, who opened the scoring, was substituted in the 73rd minute and just six minutes later his replacement Cristian Tello added a fourth for Barcelona. He was played in by Messi and took one touch before curling the ball beyond the reach of Codina from the edge of the area.

There was still time for the visitors to claim a consolation seven minutes from time as Spanish youth international Alvaro Vazquez capitalised on a mistake from Alba to send the ball into the net underneath Victor Valdes.

As the match entered stoppage time, Iniesta powered in a fifth for Barca from eight yards after Messi's route to goal had been blocked.

The hosts were not done there, though, as centre-back Gerard Pique stayed forward following a corner and tapped the ball in for Barca's sixth after he had received a square pass from Thiago.