Barca run riot in El Clasico

Barcelona ran riot in the Clasico yesterday as Luis Suarez scored the hat-trick that will surely spell the end of Julen Lopetegui’s time as Real Madrid coach.

Barcelona were 5-1 winners at the Camp Nou, dominant for allbut a 15-minute spell after halftime when the otherwise hapless Madrid briefly threatened a comeback.

All the failures that have underlined their recent problems under Lopetegui were on show here – poor finishing, dreadful defending and key players performing well below par, let alone their best.

Philippe Coutinho scored the first and Arturo Vidal the last but in between the game belonged to Suarez, who terrorised Madrid from start to finish and made light of Lionel Messi’s absence.

For Lopetegui, it is now one win in six games, as Madrid fall seven points behind Barcelona, who return to the top of the table.

Much was made of this being the first Clasico without either Messi (injured) or Cristiano Ronaldo in 11 years but Suarez’s masterclass will mean this contest lives long in the memory.

Madrid looked dazed in possession and dizzy out of it as Barca repeatedly opened them up down the left early on. –