Spanish Primera Liga: Super Suarez smashes four for Barca in 8-0 rout, Ronaldo limps out of Real win
Barcelona bounce back from their worst run of La Liga defeats for 13 years in emphatic fashion as Uruguayan marksman bags four, while Portuguese star limps off in Real Madrid win
Barcelona bounced back from their worst run of La Liga defeats for 13 years in emphatic fashion as Luis Suarez scored four in an 8-0 thrashing of Deportivo la Coruna on Wednesday.
Ivan Rakitic, Lionel Messi, Marc Bartra and Neymar were also on target as Barca reasserted their control on the Spanish title race.
Barca’s superior head-to-head record keeps them ahead of Atletico Madrid at the top of the table with four games remaining as Fernando Torres’s hot-streak continued with the winner in a 1-0 success at Athletic Bilbao.
Real Madrid remain a point behind in third as goals from Karim Benzema, Lucas Vazquez and Luka Modric ensured a 3-0 win over Villarreal.
“He got a fright, but I don’t think it is anything serious,” said Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane, whose side face Manchester City in the Champions League semi-finals next week.
“I am calmer now than when I saw him leave the pitch.”
Barca’s sensational return to form came after having taken just one point from their last possible 12 in the league.
“We are human, we aren’t machines and we can all commit errors or have a bad game,” Suarez told Spanish TV station Movistar+.
“Today is a demonstration that the group is more united than ever and desperate to win the league. It is still in our hands.”
Suarez settled the visitors’ nerves after just 11 minutes when he outmuscled Sidnei to volley home.
Suarez turned provider for Barca’s third just after the break when his cross to the back post was volleyed home emphatically by Rakitic.
Messi created the fourth with another defence splitting pass and Suarez kept his composure to seal his sixth hat-trick of a prolific season.
Suarez was gifted his fourth of the night from Neymar’s unselfish cross for his 49th goal of the season.
Bartra joined the party as he galloped forward from his own half before firing into the far corner.
And Neymar completed a perfect night for the Spanish champions when he tapped home at the far post for his first goal in six games from Suarez’s third assist of a spectacular display.
“I am happy because the goals have helped the team win the points that bring us closer to our objectives,” said Torres.
Real knew they had to win to remain realistically in the race as they kicked off two hours after Barca, but impressed again in racking up an eighth consecutive La Liga win.
Benzema headed home his 27th goal of the season four minutes before half-time after Sergio Asenjo could only parry Ronaldo’s fierce effort.
Vazquez was handed a rare start by Gareth Bale’s absence through injury, but took full advantage as he raced onto Benzema’s layoff before firing low past Asenjo 21 minutes from time.
Modric volleyed home Danilo’s cross in sensational style six minutes later to make it 3-0.