Barcelona coach Luis Enrique praised his team's "effectiveness" after they took another giant step towards this season's La Liga title with an 8-0 win at relegation certainties Cordoba.
The game was still scoreless past the 40-minute mark, but Ivan Rakitic and Luis Suarez scored two quick goals to put Barca in full control by the break.
In the second half, Lionel Messi scored a brace, Suarez added another two to complete his hat trick, and Gerard Pique and Neymar also got their names on the scoresheet as Barca equalled their best ever away result in La Liga.
The win moved the Catalans five points clear of second-placed Real Madrid ahead of Los Blancos' tricky game at Sevilla on Saturday evening.
The Blaugrana coach told his postgame news conference that the two quick goals before the break had been key to the easy win.
"Football is a very complex sport," he said. "We are doing well at the moment, but in every game you must generate these situations of play which bring you closer to the result.
"Until minute 39 we had created chances, but we were not inspired. The goals from Ivan and Luis were good for us, and in the second half we showed a high level of effectiveness.
"They are three key points and I am happy. If you want to win the league you must do your work home and away. Now to see how Madrid get on."
Messi's brace took him to 40 goals in La Liga this term, and one ahead of Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo in the "Pichichi" top scorers race -- something the Argentine does not appear too concerned about given he offered a late penalty to Neymar.
"[The players] decide who takes them, depending on what they think [is] right at the time," Luis Enrique said when asked who had made that call. "We have seen it happen before."
Cordoba are now all but mathematically relegated, and after battling well through the opening stages appeared to lose energy and hope after half-time.
Luis Enrique admitted that the game had realistically been over by the break, saying: "It is a difficult feeling for a team. The 2-0 did them a lot of damage. It is a difficult thing. I respect the opponent fully."
The coach also confirmed that there are no new injury concerns ahead of Wednesday's Champions League semifinal first leg at home to Bayern Munich, despite an apparent knock to Jordi Alba late on in a game played in very hot conditions under the Andalucian afternoon sun.
"There was nothing more than the usual discomfort," he added. "It is logical that the temperature affects the game, but we dealt with it in a spectacular way. We took on more water than usual, and there are plenty of days left before the [Bayern] game."