Luis Suarez bags four as Barcelona run riot at Deportivo La Coruña
Updated 20/04/2016 at 20:40 GMT
Liga, Estadio Riazor – Deportivo La Coruna 0 Barcelona 8 (Suarez 11, 24, 53, 64, Rakitic 47, Messi 73, Bartra 79, Neymar 81)
Liga leaders Barcelona got their campaign back on track in stunning style with an 8-0 demolition of Deportivo La Coruña.
Luis Suarez was the hero for Barca with four goals and three assists, with Ivan Rakitic, Lionel Messi, Marc Barta and Neymar scoring the other goals.
The result is a massive boost for Luis Enrique's side, whose dreadful run of form - which has seen their league lead eroded and their Champions League defence come to an end - appears to have ended in amazing fashion.
Barca had lost four of their last five games and had come under fire from some quarters. But after Claudio Bravo settled early nerves with a fine save from Lucas Sanchez, Barca simply ran riot.
Suarez got the ball rolling as early as the 11th minute and added another from Messi's sublime pass to put the visitors 2-0 up at the break.
But the floodgates really opened in the second half, as four more goals followed - the sublime Suarez becoming the first player to score four goals and assist three in a Liga match in this century.
Barcelona’s emphatic victory means they become the only team in Spain to have recorded 8-0 wins in Liga away matches but perhaps more importantly means they notch another three points. And with their insurmountable goal difference, if they win their remaining games they will win the title, regardless of what their Madrid rivals do.
TALKING POINT
Slump? What slump! Barca had taken a pounding by some papers but answered their critics in style, turning it on to secure their fourth away 8-0 Liga win.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Luis Suarez (Barcelona) He becomes the first player to score four goals and assist three in a Liga match in this century. Enough said.
PLAYER RATINGS
Deportivo: Manu 5, Laure 7, Sidnei 5, Navarro 5, Juanfran 6, Bergantinos 6, Mosquera 6, Cani 6, Riera 6, Lucas 7. SUBS: Gutierrez 6, Fajr 6, Cartabia 6.
Barcelona: Bravo 7, Rakitic 7, Sergio 6, Alves 7, Iniesta 7, Suarez 10, Messi 9, Neymar Jr 8, Mascherano 6, Bartra 7, Alba 7. SUBS: Adriano 6, Roberto 6, Rafinha 6.
KEY MOMENTS
11’ – GOAL! Deportivo 0-1 Barcelona: Suarez bags his first of the night, brushing aside Sidnei direct from the corner to score his 287th of the season.
24’ – GOAL! Deportivo 0-2 Barcelona: a lovely little reverse ball from Messi perfectly picks out Suarez, who slots home his second of the night.
47’ – GOAL! Deportivo 0-3 Barcelona: Rakitic arrives at the back post to finish off Suarez’s excellent cross.
53’ – GOAL! Deportivo 0-4 Barcelona: Suarez completes his hat-trick, running from deep to convert Messi’s excellent cross.
64’ – GOAL! Deportivo 0-5 Barcelona: Neymar sets up Suarez for his fourth of the night.
73’ – GOAL! Deportivo 0-6 Barcelona: Suarez turns provider, cutting back to Messi, who passes into the net.
79’ – GOAL! Deportivo 0-7 Barcelona: Bartra is in on the act, running from the midfield to slot into the far corner.
81’ – GOAL! Deportivo 0-8 Barcelona: Neymar completes the rout, finishing Messi’s excellently-weighted pass.
KEY STATS
Barcelona is the only team in Spain to have recorded 8-0 wins in Liga away matches - four times. Luis Suarez became the first player to score four goals and assist three in a Liga match in this century.
Barcelona equal the Liga record for biggest away win: 8-0, set three times before, all by Barcelona. They last achieved this on 2 May 2015 at Cordoba.
Messi has scored 16 goals in 13 official appearances versus Deportivo, including 12 in the last seven La Liga appearances against them.
Lionel Messi could buy a famous type of jeans with all his career goals: 501.
Luis Suarez scores his sixth hat-trick for Barcelona in all competitions this season, equal to Ronaldo for Real.
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