Messi, Suarez, Neymar score as Barca close on La Liga glory
Barcelona are one win away from defending their Liga title after romping to a 5-0 derby success over Espanyol at Camp Nou on Sunday.
Luis Enrique’s men ensured there would be no repeat of the 2007 ‘Tamudazo’ derby, where a draw in the penultimate match of the season allowed Real Madrid to win that year’s league under Fabio Capello.
A brilliant early free-kick from Lionel Messi sent Barca on their way, before Luis Suarez scored twice in the second half to make it 11 goals from his last four league appearances.
Substitute Rafinha Alcantara and Neymar wrapped up the victory with strikes in the closing stages as Barca eased to a fourth straight win, in which they have scored 21 goals without conceding.
A good day for Barca got even better as closest rivals Atletico Madrid suffered shock 2-1 loss at relegated Levante to crash out of the title race, although Real Madrid defeated Valencia 3-2 and remain just a point off the pace.
Real are now the only team who can catch Barca, who go into the final weekend of the season knowing a win at Granada will ensure they are crowned champions again.
Barca’s post-Clasico wobble is now well and truly behind them and they were on their way after eight minutes when Messi – who had won the free-kick himself – curled a magnificent effort into the top corner.
The hosts thought they had made it two a few moments later, but Ivan Rakitic was denied by the offside flag as he helped Messi’s shot over the line in a crowded six-yard box after Suarez’s initial effort had been saved.
Neymar came close with a free-kick of his own, while Felipe Caicedo shot straight at Marc-Andre ter Stegen – starting in place of the injured Claudio Bravo in Barca’s only change – at the other end.
Messi had a strong claim for a penalty turned down when Ruben Duarte appeared to trip him as he attempted to collect his own blocked shot in the area but Barca doubled their lead inside seven minutes of the restart when a loose pass from Pape Diop was seized upon by Dani Alves, allowing Suarez to take one touch and finish comfortably.
Suarez then netted his 37th league goal of the season just after the hour mark, freeing himself from the attention of Javi Lopez to head in Neymar’s corner, and score the 1000th in this La Liga campaign.
With 16 minutes to go, Espanyol goalkeeper Pau inexplicably let a harmless Neymar cross find Rafinha at the far post, leaving him with the simplest of tasks to tap home his first league goal of an injury-interrupted season.
Neymar got on the scoresheet himself after 83 minutes, slotting home at the far post after Alves and Suarez combined impressively to create the opportunity, and Barca will travel to Andalucia next week hoping for an equally influential MSN display as they close on the title.
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CAPTION: L-R: Luis Suarez, Neymar and Lionel Messi.
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Mbakogu misses two penalties for Serie A club
Nigerian striker Jerry Uche Mbakogu failed to lift his Italian Serie A side Carpi when it mattered most on Sunday as he missed two penalty kicks in a 2-0 home loss to Lazio.
Carpi are 18th on the 20-team Serie A table and deep in the relegation zone with 35 points from 37 games.
Mbakogu missed a spot kick in the 15th minute when the game was goalless.
The 23-year-old striker then missed the second penalty in the 41st minute, when the game was 2-0.
He has scored just once this season.
He scored 15 goals last season to help Carpi gain promotion to Serie A.
Ogenyi Onazi, who is preparing for his wedding, was an unused substitute for Lazio.
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NPFL RESULTS
Heartland 2 – 1Â Â El-Kanemi Warriors
Kano Pillars 2 – 1 Ikorodu United
Plateau Utd 0 – 0 Sunshine Stars
Rangers 1 – 1 3SC
Warri Wolves 0 – 1 Rivers Utd
Wikki Tourists 2 – 1 Nasarawa Utd
Akwa United 2 – 0 FC Ifeanyiubah
Lobi Stars 1 – 0Â Â MFM FC
Enyimba 2 – 1 Niger Tornadoes
Abia Warriors 1 – 0 Giwa FC
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ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP RESULTS
Tottenham Hotspur 1 – 2 Southampton
Liverpool 2 – 0 Watford
Manchester City 2 – 2 Arsenal
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SERIE A RESULTS
Roma 3 – 0 ChievoVerona
Carpi 1 – 3 Lazio
Fiorentina 0 – 0 Palermo
Frosinone 0 – 1 Sassuolo
Sampdoria 0 – 3 Genoa
Atalanta 1 – 1 Udinese
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LA LIGA RESULTS
Barcelona 5 – 0 Espanyol
Celta Vigo 1 – 0 Malaga
Eibar 1 – 1 Real Betis
Getafe 1 – 1 Sporting Gijon
Las Palmas 0 – 0 Athletic Bilbao
Levante 2 – 1 Atletico Madrid
Real Madrid 3 – 2 Valencia
Real Sociedad 2 – 1 Rayo Vallecano
Sevilla 1 – 4 Granada
Villarreal 0 – 2 Deportivo La Coruna
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EREDIVISIE RESULTS
ADO Den Haag 1 – 1 SC Heerenveen
Cambuur 0 – 2 Excelsior
De Graafschap 1 – 1 Ajax
FC Groningen 2 – 1 Heracles
FC Twente 2 – 2 Vitesse
FC Utrecht 1 – 3 AZ Alkmaar
Feyenoord 1 – 0 NEC Nijmegen
PEC Zwolle 1 – 3 PSV Eindhoven
Roda JC Kerkrade 2 – 3 Willem II
