Barcelona dealt a stinging blow to Real Madrid’s title hopes when Luis Suarez and Neymar continued their scintillating form to fire the champions to a stunning 4-0 victory in the La Liga ‘Clasico’ yesterday.
Suarez struck twice either side of goals from Neymar and captain Andres Iniesta as Barca humiliated their arch rivals with an imperious performance at the Bernabeu to surge six points clear at the top after 12 matches and ratchet up the pressure on under-fire Real coach Rafa Benitez.
Barca’s dominance, which prompted the angry Real fans to roundly whistle their own team and chant for president Florentino Perez to step down, was all the more remarkable considering coach Luis Enrique had started with a fit-again Lionel Messi on the bench.
The Argentina captain, who has been out for nearly two months with a knee injury, came on for Ivan Rakitic just before the hour and promptly sent Suarez clear to score a fourth for the European champions.
An utterly dominant Barca could easily have added to their tally in the closing stages and Real’s humiliation was complete when substitute Isco was shown a straight red card for a wild lunge at Neymar six minutes from time.
Chasing a sixth La Liga title in eight years, Barcelona have 30 points, with Real Madrid, who lost 3-2 at Sevilla in their previous outing, on 24.
Atletico Madrid can climb back to within four points of Barca and leapfrog Real into second with a win at promoted Real Betis today.
Goals from Imanol Agirretxe and Xabi Prieto earlier yesterday gave Real Sociedad coach Eusebio Sacristan a winning start in a 2-0 success at home to stuttering Sevilla.
Eusebio, a former Celta Vigo and Barcelona B coach, took over from David Moyes this month after the Scot was sacked with Sociedad hovering just above the relegation places.
Yesterday’s victory at the Anoeta stadium in San Sebastian thanks to Agirretxe’s goal in the 74th minute and Prieto’s effort four minutes later lifted the Basque club to 14th on 12 points from 12 matches.
Europa League holders Sevilla, who play at Borussia Moen-chengladbach in the Champions League on Wednesday, are 10th on 15 points pending the rest of the weekend’s results.
Primera Liga
Real Sociedad vs Sevilla - 2-0
Real Madrid vs Barcelona - 0-4
Espanyol vs Malaga - 2-0
Valencia vs Las Palmas - 1-1
Deportivo vs Celta Vigo - 2-0
Playing today
S. Gijon vs Levante - 12.00
Villarreal vs Eibar - 16.00
Granada vs A. Bilbao - 18.15
R. Betis vs Atletico Madrid - 20.30
Tomorrow
Getafe vs R. Vallecano - 20.30
Leading standings: Barcelona 30; R. Madrid 24; Atl. Madrid 23; Celta Vigo 21; Villarreal 20; Valencia, Eibar 19; A. Bilbao 17; Espanyol 16.