MADRID: Barcelona bounced back from their worst run of La Liga defeats for 13 years in emphatic fashion as Luis Suarez scored four in an 8-0 thrashing of Deportivo la Coruna on Wednesday.

Ivan Rakitic, Lionel Messi, Marc Bartra and Neymar were also on target as Barca reasserted their control on the Spanish title race.

However, only Barca’s superior head-to-head record continues to separate them from Atletico Madrid at the top of the table with four games remaining as Fernando Torres’s hot-streak continued with the winner in a 1-0 success at Athletic Bilbao.

Real Madrid remain just a point behind the leaders in third as goals from Karim Benzema, Lucas Vazquez and Luka Modric ensured a 3-0 win over Villarreal.

Barca had taken just one point from their last possible 12 in the league and been dumped out of the Champions League amidst a run of just one win in six games that threatened to derail their season.

However, they remain in control of their own fate and few would bet against them winning their last four games and claiming a 24th Liga title after a performance as good as any in the 39-game unbeaten run they enjoyed prior to losing at home to Real Madrid earlier his month.

Suarez settled the visitors’ nerves after just 11 minutes when he outmuscled Sidnei to volley home the opener despite the hosts’ desperate appeals for a foul.

Ceslo Borges then missed two huge chances to bring Deportivo level as he was denied by Claudio Bravo and a last-ditch block by Bartra before Suarez gave Barca the cushion they desired when he latched onto Messi’s sumptuous through ball to slot low past Manu.

Results:

Deportivo la Coruna 0 Barcelona 8

Athletic Bilbao 0 Atletico Madrid 1

Sporting Gijon 2 Sevilla 1

Malaga 1 Rayo Vallecano 1

Valencia 4 Eibar 0

Real Madrid 3 Villarreal 0

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2016