Published on 12:00 AM, February 11, 2013

LFP

Barca widen gap at top

Barcelona extended their advantage at the top of La Liga to 12 points with an easy 6-1 win over Getafe on Sunday.
The game was over as a contest inside 13 minutes as Alexis Sanchez slotted home from Andres Iniesta's through ball before Lionel Messi fired in his 46th goal of the season.
David Villa and Cristian Tello then added further goals after half-time before Alvaro Vasquez pulled one back for the visitors with a calm finish.
However, Barca continued to pour forward and goals from Iniesta and Gerard Pique in stoppage time gave the scoreline a fairer reflection of their dominance.
In the continued absence of Tito Vilanova through illness, Barca assistant boss Jordi Roura made six changes to the side that started last weekend's 1-1 draw with Valencia.
Out went the injured Xavi along with Dani Alves, Javier Mascherano, Sergio Busquets, Cesc Fabregas and Pedro as Alex Song, Thiago Alcantara, Alexis Sanchez and David Villa were given rare starts.
And it was Sanchez who made the breakthrough after just five minutes as a wonderful defence splitting pass from Iniesta put the Chilean through on goal and he slotted the ball past Jordi Codina to register his first league goal of the season.
Seven minutes later it was two as another magnificent pass from Iniesta was knocked into Messi's path by Thiago and the Argentine found the bottom corner to continue his record streak of scoring in 13 straight league games.
The waves of Barcelona attack continued to pound the Getafe defence and Codina did well to block Sanchez's effort from a narrow angle before Messi nearly connected with Villa's fine cross.