Barcelona 2 - 0 Internazionale

Pique and Pedro see off limp Inter

Pedro Rodriguez doubles Barcelona's lead after 26 minutes

Holders Barcelona moved two points clear at the top of their Champions League group after producing a classy display to defeat previous leaders Inter Milan at Camp Nou.

Barca could have found themselves out of the competition if results had gone against them on Tuesday, but Pep Guardiola's side are now within touching distance of a place in the last 16 after brushing aside Inter thanks to early goals from Gerard Pique and Pedro Rodriguez.

The result leaves Barca on eight points after five games, two clear of Inter and Rubin Kazan and three above Dynamo Kiev - who had earlier played out a goalless draw with Rubin. Barca travel to Kiev in their final match next month.

The Catalan giants came into the match with plenty of headaches. Not only were they up against it in Group F after winning just one of their opening four matches, but they had been badly hit with injury and illness.

Eric Abidal was able to start after recovering from swine flu, but Yaya Toure was missing having also contracted the illness while key attacking duo Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Lionel Messi were only named on the bench after fighting to recover from injuries.

Between them, former Inter striker Ibrahimovic and Messi, who is favourite to be named FIFA World Player of the Year, have scored 17 goals in all competitions for Barca this season, but Guardiola opted not to risk either from the start.

Not that it mattered. Within the opening 25 minutes, the treble winners had raced into a 2-0 lead thanks to Pique and Pedro, and there was no way back for Inter after that.