First Division - Day 25

Barcelona 6 - Sporting Gijón 1

Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Mascherano, Umtiti, Jordi Alba; Rafinha (Sergi Roberto 74’), Busquets, Rakitic, Denis Suárez; Messi (André Gomes 61’), Luis Suárez (Paco Alcácer 46’), Neymar. 3-4-3.
Sporting: Cuéllar; Lillo, Babín, Juan Rodríguez, Elderson; Douglas (Víctor Rodríguez 46’), Nacho Cases, Xavi Torres, Sergio Alvarez (Mikel Vesga 76’), Burgui (Isma López 59’); Carlos Castro. 4-5-1.

Goals:
1-0. 09. Messi. Looped header over Cuéllar after Mascherano played ball in.
2-0. 11. Luis Suárez. Shot from wide angle which went in off Juan Rodríguez.
2-1. 21. Carlos Castro. From close up after Sergio Alvarez shot came off post.
3-1. 27. Luis Suárez. Volleyed ball back in to net after Rakitic cross headed out.
4-1. 49. Paco Alcácer. Picked up Messi pass and fired shot wide of keeper.
5-1. 65. Neymar. Curled free kick round defensive wall and inside near post.
6-1. 87. Rakitic. Collected return Sergi Roberto pass and turned shot past Cuéllar.

Yellow cards: Burgui 24’, Carlos Castro 45’, Neymar 45’, Juan Rodríguez 55’.

Barcelona moved to the top of the table after a comfortable 6-1 victory over Sporting Gijón on Wednesday evening, Messi heading the opening goal from Mascherano’s centre in only the ninth minute. Two minutes later Luis Suárez made it two with a shot from a wide angled which went in off Juan Rodríguez, and although Carlos Castro got one back, Luis Suárez volleyed home the third after Babín could only head a Rakitic cross in to his path. The striker was substituted by Paco Alcácer at the break, and his replacement only took three minutes to get his name on the scoresheet after Messi set him up. Messi himself was then rested soon afterwards, but Neymar fired in a free kick for the fifth, and Rakitic completed the scoring after picking up a return pass from Sergi Roberto. A big defeat for Rubi’s side, but one that they didn’t expect to win anyway, the coach having rested several of his key players for the weekend clash with Deportivo. After the game ended though there was bit of a surprise when Luis Enrique announced that he would be stepping down this summer, and the press was full of names of possible replacements, Valverde and Sampaoli the early front runners.