Aubameyang gets off the mark for Barcelona

The last-minute scramble to secure the signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has started to pay off for Barcelona.

Aubameyang scored a hat-trick for his first goals since joining from Arsenal at the end of the winter transfer window, leading the Catalan club to a resounding 4-1 win at Valencia in La Liga.

Ousmane Dembele, whom Barcelona wanted to leave but ended staying after rejecting a couple of offers at the transfer deadline, made his first start since then and set up Frenkie de Jong's first-half goal.

The result moved Xavi's team back up to fourth place in the final Champions League qualification spot in the Spanish top-flight -- although they trail leaders Real Madrid by 15 points with a game in hand.

It was the fifth loss in their past seven league games for Valencia, who sit 12th.

Aubameyang's first goal came when he calmly found the upper corner in a one-on-one situation in the 23rd minute.

His second came from close range in the 38th after a pass by Gavi, and the Gabon forward closed the scoring with a slight redirection of Pedri's long-range strike in the 63rd.

Barcelona signed the 32-year-old Aubameyang after successfully turning in his documentation to the Spanish league in the last minute of the transfer deadline.

"He hadn't been playing much but little by little he is gaining space in our team and hopefully he will keep helping us like he did today," Barcelona captain Sergio Busquets said.

"He is a great player and it's a luxury to have him with us."

De Jong had added to Barcelona's lead from inside the area by completing Dembele's right-flank pass in the 32nd.

Valencia's reply came in the 52nd with a header by Carlos Soler off Bryan Gil's cross.

Many of the nearly 40,000 Valencia fans at Mestalla Stadium