Barcelona have extended their lead at the top of La Liga with an emphatic 8-0 win over Cordoba at Nuevo Arcangel which confirmed the bottom club's relegation from the top flight.
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The visitors were on the attack from the start, with Ivan Rakitic creating early opportunities for Neymar and Lionel Messi, but neither were able to open the scoring.
It look as though the strugglers would reach half time on level terms with Barcelona, but Andres Iniesta chipped the ball forward to set up Rakitic just before the break, allowing the midfielder to blast the ball in.
The league leaders managed to double their advantage before half time as Luis Suarez was set up by a Rakitic cross in stoppage time, leaving the Uruguayan to fire through the legs of Juan Carlos in the Cordoba goal.
It took Barcelona just a couple of minutes after the restart to make it three as Messi headed in from near the penalty spot after Dani Alves had charged down the right and crossed for the striker.
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Suarez added his second of the afternoon shortly after as Alves provided the cross again.
Neymar could have made it five when Suarez set up the Brazilian, who could only scuff a shot behind from a couple of yards out.
Barca's fifth came just a couple of minutes later, though, as Gerard Pique got free in the box to meet a Xavi cross and convert with a diving heading into the bottom corner.
Luis Enrique's side continued to press despite their comfortable lead, scoring a sixth with just 10 minutes left as Pedro and Messi linked up inside the box to set up Suarez, who had his shot saved, but the Argentine was there to turn in the rebound.
Cordoba fought desperately to stop their opponents adding further to the score, but Guinino brought Neymar down while trying to stop the striker getting a shot away, leaving him to fire in from the penalty spot.
Suarez completed the rout just three minutes from full time, sealing his hat-trick with a powerful drive from just inside the penalty area.
The result moves Barcelona five points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the league, while Cordoba, 11 points from safety with three games to play, are consigned to the drop.
Sian Cowper
