Luis Suarez scored a hat-trick as Barcelona extended their unbeaten run to 22 games with a dominant 6-0 win over 10-man Athletic Bilbao this evening's La Liga match at Camp Nou.
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Barca have not conceded a first-half goal in the league since October, but they were close to doing so today when Gerard Pique's backpass was intercepted by Iker Muniain and turned on to Javier Eraso, whose shot with Claudio Bravo out of his goal went over the top.
The hosts quickly mounted an attack and it resulted in a crucial moment in the match as Suarez was brought down by Gorka Iraizoz after poking it past the Bilbao keeper.
Referee Antonio Mateu pointed to the spot and felt that Suarez would have had a chance to score, so sent off Iraizoz in just the fourth minute. Muniain was sacrificed by Ernesto Valverde so that stand-in keeper Iago Herrerin could come on for the penalty, but he could not keep Lionel Messi out from 12 yards.
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Bilbao went close to equalising when Oscar de Marcos ran through on goal and failed to beat Bravo, but from then on it was all Barca.
Neymar, Suarez and Ivan Rakitic all went close before the former doubled the hosts' lead with a dinked finish after being found in space by Suarez.
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Messi twice went close to a third before half time but was then substituted at the break, leaving the door open for Suarez and Neymar to steal the show in the second half.
Neymar provided the third and fourth goals, first exchanging quick passes with Suarez to set up the Uruguayan for a cool finish before getting to the byline and cutting back for Ivan Rakitic to get in on the act.
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Suarez made it five by poking home from close range after an inch-perfect cross from Turan and then completed his hat-trick in the 82nd minute with a thumping header from the centre of the box.
The former Liverpool man now has 29 goals in all competitions this season and only Cristiano Ronaldo (9) and Messi (6) have more La Liga hat-tricks than him since the start of last season.
Barca climb back up to second in the table with a win and they still have a game in hand on leaders Atletico Madrid, whom they trail by two points.
Pascal Lemesre
