World number one Rafael Nadal powered to his fifth consecutive Barcelona Open title with a 6-2 7-5 win over Spanish compatriot David Ferrer.

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Top seed Nadal, who also beat Ferrer in last year's final, exchanged early breaks with the fourth seed on the clay in the Catalan capital before racing into a 5-2 lead and taking the set with an ace.

Ferrer put up more of a fight in the second set as the pair broke each other twice but lost his serve again in the 11th game and Nadal sealed victory on his second match point when Ferrer sent a forehand long.

"This is much more than a dream for me," Nadal said after lifting the huge Conde de Godo trophy.

"I never could have imagined I'd be here winning for a fifth time," he added. "Congratulations to David. Even though it was not possible for him today he played a great tournament."

The 22-year-old Mallorcan has only lost four times on clay since 2005, most recently to fellow Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero at last year's Rome Masters when he was not fully fit.

He became the first man to win five Monte Carlo Masters in a row last weekend and is favourite for a fifth straight French Open crown when the grand slam begins in Paris next month.

He also holds the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles and now heads to the Rome Masters where he will bid for a fourth triumph.