Barcelona stayed on the goal trail as a 4-0 win over Real Sociedad kept them in the driving seat at the top of the Primera Division.
Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar all netted as Barcelona followed up their 4-0 humbling of Real Madrid and 6-1 blitzing of Roma in the last week with another comprehensive victory at the Nou Camp.
Neymar opened the scoring with his 15th goal of the season after 23 minutes when he turned home the cross of fellow Brazilian Dani Alves.
The full-back claimed another assist close to the interval when Suarez took his cross and lashed home his 12th league goal of the season.
Barcelona were in total control and Andries Iniesta and Jeremy Mathieu set up Neymar for his second of the game.
Messi completed the scoring in the first minute of injury time when he tapped in at the far post following another outstanding piece of skill by Neymar.
It was the Argentinian's first league goal since September following a two-month absence with a knee injury.
Second-placed Atletico kept pace with Barcelona as Antoine Griezmann's strike saw off Espanyol in a 1-0 success at the Vicente Calderon.
But Atletico were rocked by a serious injury to midfielder Tiago, who was stretchered off in the first half and seems set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
The club wrote on Twitter afterwards: "MEDICAL DEPARTMENT. Tiago has a non-displaced fracture in the middle third of the right tibia."
Atletico's winner came as early as the third minute when France international Griezmann maintained his hot streak in front of goal.
Griezmann had scored both goals in the 2-0 Champions League win over Galatasaray in midweek and he was in the right place again to finish Oliver Torres' cross.
Luciano Vietto and Griezmann had chances for Atletico to enjoy a more comfortable scoreline, while substitute Fernando Torres struck the woodwork late on.
Espanyol struggled to create openings against the meanest defence in the Primera Division and Atletico remain four points adrift of Barcelona and five ahead of city rivals Real Madrid, who are away to Eibar on Sunday.
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