A trademark finish from Lamine Yamal gave Barcelona a hard-fought 1-0 win over Athletic Club at San Mames as they restored their four-point lead at the top of LaLiga.

Real Madrid had cut the gap back to one point with a dramatic 2-1 win at Celta Vigo, and, for long periods, it looked as if Barca would be frustrated in Bilbao.

Indeed, Barca toiled in search of an opener, but it eventually arrived in typically wondrous fashion from Yamal.

Barca’s teenage superstar settled the game with a stunning left-footed effort, beating a helpless Unai Simon to give the Blaugrana a narrow victory.

Barcelona grateful to another Yamal stunner

Barca nearly fell behind early when Joao Cancelo turns against his own crossbar while attempting to clear an Athletic cross.

The hosts suffered a blow when Unai Gomez was forced off through injury in the 10th minute, but they continued to display impressive resistance in the first half.

Cancelo almost found a way through with a superb slaloming run, only for a last-ditch defensive intervention to stop him from getting a shot away.

Inaki Williams had a goal disallowed for offside at the other end, before Ferran Torres flicked across the face of goal and wide from a corner as Barcelona endured more frustration.

Marcus Rashford and Oihan Sancet traded chances as the game became slightly more open in the second half, with Sancet denied twice by Joan Garcia, the second occasion seeing the Barcelona goalkeeper pull off a superb reflex save after brilliant play down the left by Dani Vivian.

But Pedri and Yamal lit up a game otherwise surprisingly short on quality.

Pedri’s cross-field pass to find Yamal on the right was sublime, and the finish that came when he cut onto his left was even better, Simon rendered a spectator as the ball clipped in off the woodwork.