Another wonder-goal from Lionel Messi helped Barcelona clinch its 27th Copa del Rey crown as it outclassed Athletic Bilbao 3-1 at Camp Nou.
With the league title already in the bag, Saturday's result secured a domestic double for Luis Enrique's side and kept it firmly on course for a remarkable treble ahead of next week's UEFA Champions League final against Juventus (live, Saturday, FOX, FOX Sports Go, 2 p.m. ET). Athletic had come into the game looking to avenge its 2009 and 2012 final defeats at the hands of the same opponent, but rarely looked capable of causing an upset after Messi bagged a wondrous 57th goal of the campaign after 20 minutes.
Neymar duly doubled Barcelona's advantage 10 minutes later and Athletic's 31-year Copa drought was destined to continue when Messi added his second and Barcelona's third on 74 minutes. Inaki Williams' reply came far too late for the outgunned Basque side. Barca's fans in attendance, meanwhile, reserved their biggest ovation of the night for legendary midfielder Xavi, who was introduced from the bench early in the second half for the last domestic appearance of his remarkable 17-year spell at the club.
''We have two, and now we want the third. That is the mentality of this team and this club,'' Luis Enrique said. ''Messi is the best player in the world, even though we are used to him. I saw his first goal up close, but I am eager to watch it again later.''
During a lively opening, Bilbao looked dangerous down the left through Mikel Rico and was almost gifted the lead on 10 minutes when Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Javier Mascherano found themselves on different wavelengths. But having survived that early scare, Barcelona swiftly found its rhythm and had twice gone close through Luis Suarez by the time Messi fired his side into the lead with yet another magnificent solo goal.
Picking the ball up wide on the right, the Argentina star slalomed his way into the box, leaving four defenders trailing in his wake before beating Bilbao goalkeeper Iago Herrerin at his near post. The overworked Herrerin was then forced to deny Neymar and Gerard Pique in quick succession as a rampant Barcelona threatened to run away with the game.
Suarez went within inches of doubling his side's advantage on the half-hour mark, but seven minutes later the Uruguayan combined delightfully with Ivan Rakitic to tee up Neymar for his 38th goal of the season. Having enjoyed a let-off when Williams' well-struck volley found the woodwork just before the break, the men in red and blue continued their all-out assault on the Bilbao defense as the second half wore on.
Neymar wasted several good chances to make the game safe before Messi nipped between two defenders to slide home Dani Alves' cross with 16 minutes left, rendering Williams' late reply for Bilbao little more than a consolation. Tensions rose at the end of the game as Neymar's attempted showboating wound up Athletic defenders, but the contest was almost concluded on the most romantic of notes as Xavi curled a free kick onto the post.
The Barca captain was all smiles moments later, however, as the final whistle sounded, leaving the Catalan club to focus upon next week's Champions League clash with Juventus and the prospect of securing a second domestic and European treble.
''If Messi isn't unstoppable, he is almost unstoppable, he conditions everything you do,'' said Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde. ''His first goal was incredible.''
One more victory over Juventus will let Barcelona match the feat of winning the three most important competitions of the season, first achieved under Pep Guardiola in 2008-09, when Barcelona became the only Spanish club to ever sweep the Champions League, Spanish league and Copa del Rey in the same season.
Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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