Messi - seeking to reach 20 goals for what would be a 13th consecutive league campaign - had few chances to score himself but still played a key role in the win.

Jordi Alba drilled home a shot from a tight angle past goalkeeper Sergio Herrera in the 30th minute after Messi played him clear down the left flank with a chipped pass behind the defensive line.

It was left-back Alba's fifth goal of the season.

Substitute Ilaix Moriba put the result beyond doubt in the 83rd.

The 18-year-old midfielder, who debuted two weeks ago, scored his first goal for barca's first team when he took a pass from Messi and fired the ball into the corner of the net.

It was a fourth league win in five games for Ronald Koeman's side, who extended their undefeated run in the top flight to 16 league and kept the pressure on at the top before Atletico host Real Madrid in the capital derby on Sunday.

Sevilla's miserable week was complete when they lost 2-1 at strugglers Elche, who moved out of the bottom three.

Julen Lopetegui team's slim chances of winning the league disappeared last weekend when they lost to Barcelona, and they were knocked out of the Spanish Cup in midweek by the same team.

Their miserable run continued at the Martinez Valero stadium with Raul Guti scoring the first on 71 minutes and Guido Carillo doubling the lead seven minutes later.

Luuk de Jong scored on 90 minutes but Sevilla could not avoid a second-straight league defeat that leaves them 10 points behind Atletico.

"We are distraught from what happened the other day (against Barcelona) and that affected us," Sevilla defender Sergi Gomez said.

In Saturday action involving sides battling for survival, Real Valladolid eased their relegation fears with a 2-1 win over Getafe while Cadiz edged Eibar 1-0.

Australian Associated Press