Barcelona back on song in destruction of Las Palmas as Luis Enrique rolls the dice

Barcelona 5-0 Las Palmas: A much-rotated Barca team scored four times in the second half to kill off Las Palmas

Saturday 14 January 2017 15:50 GMT
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Luis Suarez netted twice in a convincing win
Luis Suarez netted twice in a convincing win (Getty)

Barcelona returned to form, soundly beating Las Palmas to put pressure on Real Madrid and Sevilla, the sides flanking them at the top of La Liga, ahead of their meeting on Sunday night.

Goals from Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi, Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal helped Barca leapfrog Sevilla back into second place as a much-changed line-up picked apart the visiting islanders at will.

Andre Gomes, a £45million summer signing, contributed to his first goal for the club when he cut back for Suarez to open the scoring early on. And he nearly had his first goal for Barcelona shortly after, only for his strike was turned behind by Javi Varas.

While Las Palmas were still in the game at half-time, just 1-0 down, they found themselves confronted with a much-improved Barca after the break as their own tired legs began to show.

Messi nudged home from close range after Rafinha, afforded a rare start, had crossed from wide.

And that triggered something of an avalance, with Rafinha once again turning provider for Suarez before Arda Turan - another surprise inclusion in the starting XI - converted from close range.

Aleix Vidal, who was frozen out by Barcelona boss Luis Enrique for much of the season, arrived late to score their fifth in the dying minutes.

And now the focus turns to Sunday night's game, where Jorge Sampaoli's Andalucian upstarts look to topple Zinedine Zidane's Real Madrid, a side unbeaten in 40 games.

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