David Villa has insisted that having competition for places in the Barcelona starting lineup is a good thing.

The Spanish striker has made a clinical start to the new La Liga season, finding the net on five occasions.

However, such form has does not mean that Villa is an automatic starter for the Catalan club, a fact which the 29-year-old sees as a positive.

"There are players here that have always been in the first eleven," Villa told a press conference. "But there are more than eleven of us here and not everyone can play. Whoever plays, helps the team."

"Healthy competition leads to very positive things for the team.

"I try to do my job as well as possible whenever I get to play."

Villa signed on at the Nou Camp in 2010 after spending five seasons with Valencia.