Untouchable Barcelona continued their cruise towards the Spanish title with a Lionel Messi-inspired 4-0 romp at Eibar yesterday.
The FIFA World Player of the Year had an important hand in the first goal in the eighth minute, setting up Luis Suarez to centre for youngster Munir to score at the far post.
Munir, 20, was standing in for the suspended Neymar. The much-lauded ‘MSN’ forward line of Messi, Suarez and Neymar has now put away 100 goals this season in all competitions.
Eibar came close to an equalizer on three occasions in the first half
but Messi made it 2-0, against the
run of play, just before the interval with yet another trademark run and left-foot drive.
Messi scored what was his sixth goal in three games with a cool penalty in the 74th minute, after Eibar defender Ivan Ramis had handled a cross from the little Argentine.
Suarez completed the rout for Barca six minutes from time with a handsome solo goal. Suarez, with 26, is one goal behind Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid in the Liga scorers’ chart.
It was Barca’s 11th straight league win and their first clean sheet in
La Liga since February 7, extending their record-breaking unbeaten run to 36 games.
Barca are 11 points above second-placed Atletico Madrid, who were due to visit Valencia in a late game. The Catalans are 12 points above third-placed Real Madrid, who caned feeble Celta Vigo 7-1 on Saturday.
“Our objective is to keep the (11-point) lead that we have at the
top of the table,” Barca’s Javier Mascherano said.
“There are 10 games left and any slip-up from us could have serious consequences. We have to try to avoid making any mistakes that the Madrid teams could take advantage of.”
Eibar coach Jose Mendilibar paid tribute to Messi, saying. “It’s just impossible to stop a player like this. He scores goals out of nowhere, and today he just tore our defence apart.”
Earlier yesterday, Real Betis moved up to 11th, well above the danger zone, with a 2-0 home defeat of southern rivals Granada, who are third bottom.
Granada managed to hold out at 0-0 until five minutes from time, but then conceded late goals to Alfred N’Diaye and Ruben Castro.