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Monday, 22 December 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Barcelona’s players celebrate a goal against Cordoba during their Spanish First division soccer match at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona
The signs were ominous for Cordoba as they found themselves encamped in their own half, although Barca did not add to their lead until the start of the second half through Suarez.
The Uruguayan returned from a four-month ban for biting at the end of October and claimed his first goal in La Liga when he slotted the ball home from a Pedro pass.
“I am more relaxed now having got the goal. Perhaps we had something to prove going into the match as the draw (last weekend) against Getafe was a blow,” Suarez told reporters.
“We are candidates for La Liga and we want to turn things around at the top. For me personally to get a goal in the league is important but I knew with all the support I was getting that it would come soon.”
With the Cordoba players’ heads going down, Gerard Pique nodded in Barca’s third and then Messi fired in a late double.
Xavi came on as a second-half substitute in his 741st match for Barca, equalling the record of Real’s Raul for the number of games for a single club in Spanish football.
Barca have moved on to the shoulders of Real who are playing the Club World Cup final on Saturday against San Lorenzo and have played a game less then their arch-rivals.
Suarez went close to adding to Pedro’s opener as his strike from a Jordi Alba pull-back narrowly went the wrong side of the post.
Barca have looked susceptible at the back this season and there were warning signs when Nabil Ghilas was able to run unopposed down the right wing but he fired into the side netting from a tight angle.
Luis Enrique’s side were still clearly in control with Rakitic and Pedro having further chances before Suarez struck after 52 minutes.
From there the game opened up as Cordoba began to lose concentration.
Pique headed in a cross from Xavi and Messi came to life having had a quiet game with two well-struck drives from inside the area to complete the rout.
No strikers, no problem for Man CityReuters: It was a case of no strikers, no problem for Manchester City on Saturday as they joined Chelsea at the top of the Premier League table thanks to a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium. With first-choice forwards Edin Dzeko, Stevan Jovetic and Sergio Aguero injured, City boss Manuel Pellegrini called on his side to find a different way past struggling Palace to go level with leaders Chelsea on 39 points. Needing a four-goal victory to move above Jose Mourinho’s side on goals scored, the City attack lacked a focal point in a blank first half as midfielder James Milner was deployed as the lone front man. But City’s blunt attack was sharper in the second half and David Silva scored twice in quick succession to put the home side in control before Yaya Toure blasted home a third. Time ran out before City could grab a fourth but the pressure is now on Chelsea to get a positive result against Stoke City on Monday. “It was a very good win. A very good performance. I enjoyed the way the team worked the whole week -- to work in a different way without strikers,” Pellegrini told reporters. “David Silva is a top player with lots of quality. Palace are a team who know how to defend. “It was a great job to score three goals. They are also dangerous on the counter.” Having trailed Chelsea by eight points in November, champions City have hit a sparkling run of form, winning their last six league matches to put them back in the title race. “I don’t think about Chelsea,” Pellegrini said. “The only important thing for our team was to win three more points and to continue playing the way we are. “December is a key month, but not the month that you win the title. You play so many games that if you want to be involved in the fight for the title you must be as near as you can to the head of the table.” City begin the busy festive period with a trip to West Bromwich Albion on Friday and Pellegrini is unsure whether his striker shortage will have been resolved. “In the next game we are probably not going to have any strikers,” he said. “We have to continue trying to play in the same way.” |
Manchester City’s Joe Hart (left) saves a shot from Crystal Palace’s Fraizer Campbell (right) during their English Premier League soccer match at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, northern England 20 December 2014 – REUTERS |
