Barcelona remain in safe hands

Neymar, Suarez score in Catalans’ 2-0 win over Getafe and help them go level with Real at the top

MADRID: Barcelona kept pace with Real Madrid at the top of La Liga as Luis Suarez and Neymar once again compensated for the absence of Lionel Messi with a goal apiece in a 2-0 win at Getafe.

Neymar and Suarez have now combined for Barca’s last 14 league goals since Messi went down with knee ligament damage over a month ago.

However, it was Sergi Roberto who shone brightest for Barca as his stunning backheel assist freed Suarez for the opener before also crossing for Neymar to volley home the second to cap off a rapid counter-attack.

Barca should have been in front inside the two minutes, but Munir El Haddadi’s yearlong wait for a goal continued as his overhead kick from point blank range somehow flew wide of the target after good work by Neymar. On-loan Celtic striker Stefan Scepovic had Getafe’s best opportunity of the game 10 minutes later, but he scuffed his shot wide with just Claudio Bravo to beat and with that went Getafe’s chance of causing an upset.

Barca’s dominance in possession was rewarded with a brilliantly crafted opening goal as Roberto flicked Neymar’s cross perfectly into Suarez’s path and the Uruguayan kept his cool to register his 300th career goal for club and country. Roberto was at the heart of the second goal just before the hour mark too as Bravo collected a corner and bowled the ball out for the midfielder, who carried it forward before picking out Neymar and the Brazilian fired a volley in at the near post.

Elsewhere, Villarreal leapfrogged Celta Vigo into fourth with their first win in four league games as goals either side of half-time from Mario Gaspar and Cedric Bakambu saw of Sevilla 2-1. Fernando Llorente reduced the arrears 14 minutes from time, but defeat sees Sevilla slip eight points off the top four ahead of their clash with Manchester City in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Valencia moved up to sixth as three second-half goals handed them bragging rights against local rivals Levante.