Spanish champions Barcelona have moved three points clear at the top of La Liga courtesy of a thumping 8-0 win at Deportivo La Coruna on Wednesday night.
The Catalan outfit entered the match off the back of three straight defeats in Spain's top flight, but four from Luis Suarez and one each for Ivan Rakitic, Lionel Messi, Marc Bartra and Neymar has seen the leaders move three points clear of second-placed Atletico Madrid and four clear of third-placed Real Madrid.
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Barcelona boss Luis Enrique made two changes from the team that lost at home to Valencia on Sunday night, with Dani Alves replacing Sergi Roberto at right-back and Bartra taking the place of suspended centre-back Gerard Pique.
It was otherwise the same XI that took to the field against Los Che, however, with Messi, who grabbed his 500th career goal at the weekend, once again joined by Neymar and Suarez in the final third.
As for Deportivo, Oriol Riera's equaliser against Sevilla at the weekend earned the Spaniard a starting role in the final third. Cani, Alex Bergantinos and Laure also came into the home side's XI, with Luis Alberto and Faycal Fajr dropping to the bench.
The first half-chance of the match fell to Suarez in the seventh minute after a fine pick-out from Andres Iniesta, but the Barcelona striker could only fire his effort wide of the post from a narrow angle.
Deportivo goalkeeper Manu had to be on top form to keep out a powerful effort from Messi in the 11th minute, but from the resulting corner, Barcelona took the lead as Suarez turned home from close range after escaping his marker Sidnei.
The home side should have been level in the 18th minute when Lucas Perez delivered a pass into Celso Borges, but the midfielder could only poke his effort into the arms of Claudio Bravo.
Deportivo had another opportunity two minutes later when Borges found time and space inside the Barcelona box, but the Costa Rican just could not escape the clutches of Bravo, before Riera fired wide of the post following a scramble.
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Barcelona continued to fire in the final third, however, and Suarez sent a overhead kick just wide of the post in the 23rd minute, before the Uruguay international found the back of the net for a second time in the 25th minute.
A cute flick from Messi found Suarez inside the Deportivo box and the 29-year-old was never going to miss the chance to send his side 2-0 ahead in a one-on-one situation with Manu.
Suarez should have completed his hat-trick 10 minutes before the break when Alves delivered a dangerous cross into the home side's box, but the striker somehow bundled the ball wide from close range.
Lucas Perez proved to be Deportivo's biggest threat in the opening 45 minutes, but there was a general lack of quality from Victor Sanchez's side, who left themselves with a mountain to climb in the second period.
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Barcelona had their third of the match in the 47th minute when Suarez picked out the run of Rakitic and the Croatian expertly found the back of the net with a close-range volley.
Deportivo just could not stop the flow of pressure in the early stages of the second half, and Barcelona had their fourth in the 53rd minute when Suarez used the outside of his foot to turn a Messi pass past Manu for his hat-trick.
The home side had a chance to hit back just before the hour when Lucas Perez raced away from the Barcelona defence, but the Spaniard struck the ball straight at Bravo, who had been a spectator for long spells.
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Suarez then scored his fourth for Barcelona after Neymar had picked out the striker inside the Deportivo box and the visitors were threatening to make it six or seven during a dominant period.
Lucas Perez had another chance for the home side 20 minutes from time, but the Spaniard somehow turned a Laure pass over the crossbar from close range.
Messi got in on the act for Barcelona in the 73rd minute when he turned a Suarez cross into the back of the net, before Bartra raced forward from centre-back to add a seventh 10 minutes from time. Neymar was not to be denied, however, and turned home from close range for 8-0 in the 81st minute.
Deportivo continued to commit players forward late on and Fajr tried his luck on a couple of occasions from distance, but the night belonged to Barcelona, who sent out a message ahead of the title run-in.
Matt Law
