Barca's Messi celebrates a goal with Neymar during the match vs Athletic Bilbao. Pic/AP

Barcelona: Barcelona closed the gap on La Liga leaders Real Madrid to just a point with a 3-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao at the Nou Camp. Paco Alcacer opened the scoring on 18 minutes with his first league goal for the club and after the visitors had failed to make the most of their chances, Lionel Messi's free-kick squirmed past Bilbao keeper Gorka Iraizoz five minutes before half-time.