Messi-inspired Barcelona off to best-ever start

Catalan side have won 12, drawn just one of their opening 13 games

MADRID: Barcelona recorded their best-ever start to a La Liga season as coach Ernesto Valverde enjoyed a successful return to Athletic Bilbao thanks to goals from Lionel Messi and Paulinho in a 2-0 win on Saturday.

Valverde has now overseen 12 wins and a draw from his first 13 La Liga and Champions League matches as Barca re-established their four-point lead at the top of the table over Valencia, who beat Alaves 2-1 earlier on Saturday.

"The truth is we struggled a lot, especially in the second-half," Barca midfielder Sergio Busquets told Movistar TV. "They had chances to equalise, but with a counter-attack at the end we scored the second which leaves us with this spectacular start."

Valverde left Bilbao in the summer and his impact has been felt just as much in Bilbao as it has in Barcelona — Athletic have now one just one of their last 12 matches in all competitions.

"Athletic pressed us hard in the second-half and made it difficult," said Valverde. "We gave the ball away a number of times and, without creating too many clear-cut chances, Athletic are always a threat when the ball is bouncing around the area."

After two seasons in the doldrums, Valencia's stunning revival under Marcelino Garcia Toral continued as they remain Barca's closest challengers with victory in Vitoria.

"It has completely changed, not just our level of play but also our mentality," star striker Simeone Zaza said of Valencia's upturn in form since Marcelino took charge in June. "The coach has helped a lot in that. Now we are competitive and can compete against anyone. We are second and we have to enjoy it. We don't know how far we can go, but we have a lot of ambition."

Atletico Madrid remain fourth but their stumbling season continued as they were held 1-1 at home by Villarreal for their fifth draw in 10 Liga games.

Diego Simeone's men's problem has largely been finding the net but they went in front just after the hour mark in spectacular fashion as Angel Correa cushioned Antoine Griezmann's volleyed pass into his path before slotting home at the near post.

"If the team continues with that aggression and intensity, better times will come," insisted a defiant Simeone, whose side face a must-win Champions League clash against Qarabag of Azerbaijan on Tuesday.