With more than one eye on the Champions League, Barcelona came through their La Liga clash at home to Rayo Vallecano with relative ease on Saturday evening at Camp Nou.
Goals from Gerard Pique, Lionel Messi (from the penalty spot) and Luis Suarez saw the Catalans come from behind after on-loan Real Madrid striker Raul de Tomas had given the visitors the lead.
But it was not all good news for Ernesto Valverde's side. Winger Ousmane Dembele finished the game with a thigh problem and will undergo tests to determine the extent of the injury and Philippe Coutinho struggled again for the Catalan club.
The Brazilian has endured a difficult second season at Camp Nou and has done little to merit his place in the team in recent months.
Saturday was another of those nights where he was unable to make an impact. Barca improved when Dembele came on after the break, and then again when Ivan Rakitic replaced the former Liverpool midfielder late on.
Rakitic has his critics among Barca's fans, but he is a vital player for the Blaugrana. Fresh from scoring the winner away to Real Madrid in the Clasico last Saturday, the Croatian came on to combine with Suarez and set up the Uruguayan for Barca's third goal just a couple of minutes after his introduction.
It was a more meaningful contribution than Coutinho had managed in 80 minutes on the pitch and the Brazilian's form is a concern ahead of Wednesday's Champions League last 16 second leg clash at home to Lyon.
On Friday, a video from Barca training emerged in which Pique had shouted at Coutinho: "Phil, you're not switched on!" And he did not appear to be switched on in this match either.
"He is having a good season," Pique said in a television interview straight after the game. "There has been a lot of expectation from the start, but he has the support of the dressing room. We need him at his best until the end of the season and I'm sure he will be."
That was the right thing to say, but there are doubts now about Coutinho coming good for Barca. Against Rayo, he started as a forward and then switched to a midfield role, but he did not shine in either role and his confidence still seems low.
Whistles from the Camp Nou crowd will not help in that respect and after the game, Valverde said he has to keep trying.
"He fought for the whole game," the Barca boss said. "Sometimes things come off and sometimes they don't. The secret is in persevering to find those moves that give you confidence."
Earlier, Dembele had come on at the start of the second half and the French forward linked up well with Nelson Semedo down the right with the defender winning the penalty in their first attack together.
But Barca confirmed later that Dembele is to undergo tests for "a slight strain in his left thigh" and losing the Frenchman for Wednesday's game against Lyon would be a big blow.
Messi and Suarez did not rest either, with January signing Kevin-Prince Boateng surprisingly not even included in the squad for what appeared an ideal match for some rotation ahead of the massive test on Wednesday. Malcom, meanwhile, was used only as a late substitute.
Barca definitely looked to be playing within themselves ahead of the Lyon match, which they will need to win after the 0-0 draw in the first leg and will hope Messi and Suarez are not too tired. And they will want Dembele available for that one too – because the Blaugrana are an inferior team with Coutinho in the XI at the moment.
