Lamine Yamal, 18, turned the game on its head inside nine first-half minutes, finishing twice from precise passes by Fermin Lopez to give Barcelona a firm grip at the break.

Villarreal refused to fold. Senegal midfielder Pape Gueye struck from close range after the break to cut the deficit, and the visitors squandered a gilt-edged chance to level, a miss they later paid for.

Yamal completed his treble with a clinical finish before substitute Robert Lewandowski tapped in deep into stoppage time to seal a 4-1 win. Barcelona now sit four points clear of Real Madrid CF, who host Getafe CF on Monday.

According to Opta, Yamal’s treble at 18 years and 230 days makes him the youngest player this century to score a first hat-trick in La Liga.

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick reshuffled his side, handing Fermin a start after his goal off the bench in the 3-0 win over Levante. The 22-year-old justified the decision. He dictated play early on and carved out the first clear chance for Jules Kounde, who dragged wide.

Yamal soon found his form. After seeing an early effort saved by goalkeeper Luiz Junior, he made the breakthrough. Fermin snapped up a loose ball and slipped it through to him, and the Spanish winger finished it perfectly.

The second was even better. Picking up possession on the right, Yamal glided past two defenders and lashed high into the far corner.

Villarreal responded after the restart. Junior denied Dani Olmo at point-blank range before Gueye pounced from a corner.

Momentum briefly swung. Former Newcastle United FC and Leicester City FC forward Ayoze Perez had the chance to equalise after a mix-up involving keeper Joan Garcia, but his effort drifted wide with the goal exposed.

Both benches clashed as tension flared in the second half. As a result, the two head coaches were booked.

Flick then introduced Pedri, which restored calm. The midfielder’s composure proved decisive. He slipped a clever pass into Yamal, who finished from a tight angle to complete his hat-trick and move to a combined 101 goals and assists for club and country.

Barcelona were not done. Pedri and Kounde linked up down the right, and Kounde squared for Lewandowski to claim his 11th league goal of the season.