Suarez hattrick extends Barca lead after Real win

LUIS SUAREZ hit a hattrick and Philippe Coutinho scored a brilliant first league goal for Barcelona as the La Liga leaders thrashed Girona 6-1 yesterday to open up a 10-point lead at the top of the table.

Lionel Messi continued his return to goalscoring form with a double to reach 30 in all competitions for the season, as Barca extended their advantage over closest title rivals Atletico Madrid, who have a game in hand.

Real Madrid remain off the pace in third, despite a comfortable 4-0 victory over Alaves that saw Cristiano Ronaldo net a double and Gareth Bale back on the scoresheet.

It was the perfect outing for Barcelona after ninth-placed Girona had taken a shock early lead on their first-ever visit to the Camp Nou, as Coutinho, Suarez, Messi and Ousmane Dembele shone on their first start together.

Portu put Girona ahead in La Liga’s newest Catalan derby but the hosts took less than two minutes to get back on level terms complements of Suaraz.

Messi’s wizardry put Ernesto Valverde’s side in front on the halfhour mark and the five-time Ballon d’Or winner doubled the advantage just seven minutes later with a low freekick under the wall.

“It always seems that he has done everything and then suddenly, he surprises us again, as with his free kick. It sounds easy but it is not,” said Barca coach Ernesto Valverde.

Barcelona’s fourth goal came on the stroke of halftime via Suarez.

The Catalan giants eased off slightly in the second half, but Coutinho got off the mark with a curled a long-range strike before Suarez completed his hattrick.

In an earlier match, Real coach Zinedine Zidane hailed Ronaldo’s selflessness after the forward gave up the chance of a hattrick by allowing Karim Benzema to take a late penalty at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Zidane restored Bale to the starting XI to reunite the “BBC” front line of the Welshman, Ronaldo and Benzema.

Ronaldo, whose first goal was created by a magnificent Benzema flick, stood aside in the 89th minute to allow the Frenchman to convert only his fourth league goal of the season.

“The gesture of Cristiano is very important,” said Zidane. “After the game he played, Karim just needed to score a goal.

“He (Ronaldo) had opportunities, he scored twice. After there is this gesture of Cristiano for Karim.

“This proves that between them, there is a good atmosphere, a good relationship, and to win and continue what we’re doing, it’s super important.”

The reigning champions’ title hopes are all but over, with Real 14 points adrift of Barca, but a run of four straight wins has ended any worries of missing out on a Champions League spot. – AFP