Barcelona continued their impeccable home form this season, cruising to a comfortable 4-0 victory over bottom feeders Real Zaragoza.

With a critical group stage match against AC Milan looming on the horizon, Guardiola rested regulars Abidal, Iniesta, Busquets and Villa. The indefatigable Messi was chosen to lead the attack, accompanied by Alexis Sanchez and youngster Isaac Cuenca on the wing.

After being held 2-2 at Atletico Bilbao in their previous match, Barca were determined not to drop points and fall further behind pacesetters Real Madrid at the top of the table.

With Xavi, Keita and Fabregas roaming the midfield there was never much doubt about the outcome, as the game quickly became a one-sided affair, with Barcelona controlling the lion’s share of possession.

Concerns over fatigue after the international break were swept aside when Gerard Pique put the blaugrana ahead in the 18th minute with his first goal of the season.

Xavi curled a free-kick from outside the area to the unmarked center-back, who managed to slip his defender and nod home past Roberto Jimenez to break the deadlock.

Barca would blitzkrieg the Zaragoza net over the next ten minutes, creating and missing several clear cut chances to put the match away. Messi nearly made it two when his chipped effort was parried away by Jimenez, only for the Argentine to collect the rebound and drive to the touchline, sending his second shot into the side netting.

A triple opportunity for Messi, Cesc and Alexis almost perforated the net before Maxwell’s long-range effort was punched away by Jimenez to keep the score-line at 1-0.

With two minutes remaining in the half, Barca capitalized to put the game out of reach. A clever defense splitting pass from Fabregas found Messi on the edge of the area, with the Argentine spinning goal-wards, ghosting by one defender and firing a low right-footed shot into the corner of the net.

The goal brings his tally to a league leading 15 goals this campaign.

Fabregas should have made it three at the start of the second half, but was unable to finish from close range.

In the end, it was Barcelona’s long-haired talisman that made it three, with captain Carles Puyol finding himself on the score-sheet in the 53rd minute.

Indeed, a man known for his heroic commitment to the club, Puyol scored the only way he knows how, with epic determination.

An ambitious volley from the 33 year-old veteran was half-saved by Jimenez, but with the ball resting just in front of goal, Puyol, still on his back, swiveled his body, managing to scramble to the lose ball and push it over the line, just as a Zaragoza defender arrived to clear.

A rare goal from the grizzled captain marks just the second time center-backs Pique and “Tarzan” Puyol have scored in the same match for Barcelona. The famous 6-2 thrashing of Real Madrid in the Bernabeu on May 2, 2009 stands as the only other date.

With the points assured and Wednesday’s match in Milan in mind, Xavi, Alexis and Fabregas gave way to Spain internationals Thiago, Iniesta and Villa.

Barca continued generating chances and testing Jimenez, with both Messi and Iniesta coming close before David Villa notched a fourth in the 75th minute.

A burst of pace down the right wing from Cuenca saw the youngster deliver a sumptuous cross into the box, finding its way to “El Guaje” Villa at the far post, who sent a thundering header into the back of the net. The goal gives Spain’s record goal-scorer his first La Liga goal since September.

Barcelona remain three points behind Real Madrid, sitting second in La Liga standings through week thirteen.

The 4-0 victory sees Barcelona amass an incredible 30 goal advantage over their opponents at home this season, with the Catalans becoming the first ever La Liga side to score 30 without conceding a single goal in defense.

Another one for the record-books.

Article written by Barcaloco contributor Anson Woodring.  Follow Anson on Twitter at @ansonwoodring.

Full match highlights:

Barcelona VS Zaragosa 4-0 Highlights HD 19.11.2011 by iNfRaS0NiC