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| Barça players celebrate against Eibar |
FC Barcelona continued their hot pursuit of Real Madrid at the top of the table in style after they defeated Eibar 4-0 at the Ipurua stadium on Sunday night to maintain the deficit on Real Madrid at two points.
Los Blancos defeated Málaga 2-1 on Saturday to move five points ahead of Barça while Sevilla beat Osasuna 4-3 at El Sadar to go four ahead of the Blaugranas, but goals from Denis Suárez, Luis Suárez, Lionel Messi and Neymar ensured that Barça pick up a valuable three points against Eibar, seeing of Mendilibar’s men 4-0.
Barça did not start quite well as they looked rigid early on, allowing Eibar to play but the worst news during this period is the injury of star midfielder Sergio Busquets who was forced out on a stretcher after spraining his ankle following a bad challenge by Escalante.
Barça were not playing well, but were creating chances, Messi’s free kick over the bar was the first threat before the Argentine found Suárez with a fantastic lobbed pass minutes later but the striker fired over.
The hosts looked dangerous and Barça needed Ter Stegen to pull a great save to deny Adrian, he made a quite easier one on Pedro León later on.
Busquets replacement, Denis Suarez then got the opener for Barça just above the half hour mark. Messi’s blocked shot came to the path of the Galician midfielder who slotted past Yoel from outside the box for his first Barça goal.
The goal gave Barça more momentum and they improved afterwards, Messi was behind things once again finding Neymar with a pinpoint pass but the Brazilian’s shot was not well placed and Yoel saved with an outstretched foot in a one-on-one situation. Suárez then hit the post just before half time.
Barça were more clinical in the second half and Lionel Messi scored Barça’s second after being set up by a beautiful pass from Suárez, Messi was involved in almost everything and tested Yoel from a free kick already.
Eibar improved as Barça slowed down, but they could not get the goal although they had the ball in the back of the net which was ruled out for offside.
It was game over for the hosts after Suárez outmuscled Lejeune into winning the ball close to the area before slotting past Yoel to make it 3 for Barça.
Neymar already had a goal wrongly ruled out for offside, but the Brazilian got his deserved goal in stoppage time to complete the rout after he did well to beat Yoel thanks to the set up by Aleix Vidal.
