Messi’s hat trick, Suarez’ double put Barca on top of La Liga

Barcelona moved to the top of La Liga for the first time since early November as Lionel Messi struck his 32nd hat-trick for the club in a 6-1 thrashing of 10-man Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.

Champions Atletico Madrid remain seven points off the top, though, after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Valencia at the Vicente Calderon.

Real Madrid’s 1-0 defeat at Athletic Bilbao on Saturday handed Barca the chance to overtake the European champions and Luis Suarez wasted no time in taking advantage as he slotted home his sixth goal in as many games.

Gerard Pique doubled the hosts’ advantage just after half-time before Messi added a third from the penalty spot at the second attempt thanks to a reprieve from the referee after his initial effort was saved by Cristian Alvarez and Tito had been sent-off for a second bookable offence.

There was no controversy over the Argentine’s final two goals, though, as he moved level with Cristiano Ronaldo on 30 league goals for the season.

Both sides ended with 10 men when Dani Alves was shown a straight red card for bringing down Alberto Bueno inside the area and Bueno converted from the spot.

However, Barca had the final word when Suarez slammed home his second of the afternoon from Messi’s through ball.

“The objective is to be the leader when the season ends,” said Barca boss Luis Enrique.

“I have always said the big teams will lose throughout the course of the season and it will continue to happen, therefore we have to be very careful.”

Suarez has found his scoring touch in recent weeks after a slow start to life at the Camp Nou and was razor sharp in front of goal just six minutes in as he rolled his defender before flicking the ball past Alvarez with the outside of his right foot.

Impossible task

Enrique’s men had to wait until after the break to make the game safe as Jordi Alba’s header from Xavi’s corner came back off the post and Pique was on hand to force the ball over the line.

Rayo’s task became impossible seven minutes later when Suarez was pulled down by Tito inside the area and the defender was shown a second yellow card.

Messi’s yips from the penalty spot continued as, after missing five of his last 10 for club and country, Alvarez comfortably saved his first effort.

However, referee Jesus Gil Manzano ruled there had been encroachment by Rayo players and gave Messi a second opportunity which he didn’t pass up.

The four-time World Player of the Year was in the right place to slot home his second moments later after Alvarez had made a fine save to deny Suarez.

And Messi completed a 12-minute hat-trick with a lovely feint to leave Alvarez on the floor before rolling the ball into an empty net.

The action continued in the final quarter as Manzano levelled up the numbers by sending off Alves for a foul on Bueno inside the box nine minutes from time and the former Real Madrid midfielder converted from the spot.

However, it was Suarez who rounded off the scoring in style in stoppage time when he latched on to Messi’s neat pass to round Alvarez and turn the ball home from a narrow angle.

Any chance of a title challenge to the big two has faded after the spoils were shared in the battle between third and fourth at the Calderon.

Spanish international Koke fired Atletico into the lead on his return to the starting line-up from a hamstring injury just after the half hour mark.

Tiago then missed a great chance to make it 2-0 after the break when he smashed the ball against the bar from barely three yards out.

And that miss was to prove vital as Miguel Angel Moya misjudged Dani Parejo’s free-kick from the right and when the ball rebounded off the bar, Shkodran Mustafi was on hand to head home the rebound.

Elsewhere, Villarreal bounced back from their Copa del Rey elimination at the hands of Barcelona in midweek with a 4-1 win over Celta Vigo.

David Moyes’s Real Sociedad also continued their march away from the relegation zone with a 1-0 win over Espanyol.

source: interaksyon.com

Without injured Gareth Bale, Real Madrid maintains chase of leaders Barcelona, Atletico

MADRID – Real Madrid shrugged off the loss of the injured Gareth Bale as they beat Valencia 3-2 on Sunday to move back to within five points of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid at the top of La Liga.

Barcelona were also victors as an eight-minute hat-trick from Pedro Rodriguez helped them come from 2-0 down to win 5-2 away at Getafe.

Bale’s replacement Angel di Maria put Madrid in front with a fine left-footed drive on 28 minutes, but Pablo Piatti headed home an equaliser for the hosts six minutes later.

Cristiano Ronaldo then headed home Di Maria’s free-kick to put Madrid back in front five minutes before half-time, only for Valencia to level once more when Jeremy Mathieu met Dani Parejo’s corner.

However, Madrid were not to be denied as substitute Jese Rodriguez grabbed the winner with a low drive that beat Vicente Guaita at his near post 10 minutes from time to condemn Nico Estevez to defeat in his first league game in temporary charge of Valencia.

“When a team changes its coach they always play with a lot of desire so it was a difficult game,” said Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti.

“In general I thought we did very well. We maybe needed to maintain a higher tempo after the first goal, but we had the will to win until the last minute and the result is a very important one.”

With Bale sidelined for a second consecutive game by a calf injury, Di Maria made his presence felt in style as he controlled Marcelo’s cross-field pass before firing past Guaita into the far corner.

Valencia, buoyed by the news earlier in the day that Singaporean businessman Peter Lim may be on the verge of taking over the club, responded almost immediately as the diminutive Piatti found space inside the area to head home Juan Bernat’s cross.

Madrid were back in front six minutes later in somewhat controversial circumstances as Ronaldo’s goal was allowed to stand despite the Portuguese appearing to be slightly offside as Di Maria delivered a free-kick from wide on the right.

The hosts were level once again, though, just after the hour mark when Mathieu outjumped Sergio Ramos to flick home Parejo’s corner.

However, Madrid found the goal they desperately needed to keep their title hopes alive as Luka Modric picked out Jese inside the area and his fiercely driven effort slipped through the grasp of Guaita.

Barcelona were also made to work for their victory as goals from Sergio Escudero and Lisandro Lopez had given Getafe a 2-0 lead inside 14 minutes.

However, the Catalans responded like champions as Pedro scored three times in quick succession before the break.

Cesc Fabregas then gave Barca breathing space when he volleyed home Pedro’s cross and the former Arsenal captain doubled his tally from the penalty spot moments later.

“I am just happy for the victory, the goals and to help the team,” said Pedro, who also overtook Lionel Messi and Alexis Sanchez to become Barca’s top scorer in La Liga with 10.

“It was important to finish the year well. It is always difficult coming here due to the way they play, the pitch and the fans.

“We didn’t start how we would have hoped, but we turned the game around which is the most important thing.”

Without the suspended Neymar and injured Messi, the spotlight was on the Catalans’ fringe players in attack to make their claim for a regular starting spot.

Barca boss Gerardo Martino hailed Pedro’s impact having previously seen his opportunities limited this season.

“Pedro has a great eye for goal, everyone in Spain knows that,” said the coach.

“He has a great attitude, he never gives up and he understands that he is an important player, even if he does play in an area of the field where Barcelona have other great players.”

The Barca revival began 10 minutes before half-time when Fabregas released Pedro in behind the defence and his chipped finish had just enough elevation to take it past Miguel Angel Moya.

Pedro then curled home into the top corner from the edge of the area and pounced on a defensive error by Juan Valera to give his side the lead at half-time.

Fabregas made the game safe 22 minutes from time when he finished off a wonderful team move involving Pedro and Sergio Busquets.

Pedro was also involved in Barca’s fifth as was clipped inside the area by Borja Fernandez and Fabregas sent Moya the wrong way from the resultant spot-kick.

source: interaksyon.com