Deportivo La Coruna 0 Barcelona 8
Barcelona bounced back from their recent slump with a dramatic 8-0 demolition of Deportivo La Coruna, with Luis Suarez scoring four goals and registering three assists to banish fears that the Catalan club had hit the buffers.
A dire run had seen Barcelona dumped out of the Champions League by Atletico Madrid and squander a nine-point lead at the top of La Liga, but they tore Deportivo to shreds in front of their own fans with an emphatic performance that revolved around Suarez.
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"After a run of just one win in six games in all competitions, during which Suarez was accused of both kicking and elbowing opponents, the Uruguay striker put football first at the Riazor and helped Barcelona restore both their pride and focus," says the Daily Mail.
The former Liverpool striker opened the scoring after 11 minutes and added a second midway through the first half. There was carnage in the second half as Suarez set up Ivan Rakitic soon after the break and then latched onto a pass from Messi to claim his hat-trick.
Ten minutes later he scored his fourth before setting up Messi to make it six. Defender Marc Bartra, who replaced Gerard Pique, scored a wonderful solo effort as he dribbled through the shell-shocked Deportivo defence, before Suarez teed up Neymar, to ensure that all three of the fabled MSN strikeforce got on the scoresheet.
It was a statement of intent from the Catalans who remain top of the table, level on points with Atletico and one ahead of Real Madrid, who also registered wins on Wednesday night.
Barcelona "remain in control of their own fate and few would bet against them winning their last four games and claiming a 24th Liga title after a performance as good as any in the 39-game unbeaten run they enjoyed prior to losing at home to Real Madrid earlier this month", says the Daily Telegraph.
The only fly in the ointment for Barca is that their goals tally counts for little as when clubs are tied on points in La Liga, positions are decided on head-to-head record rather than goal difference.
