Barcelona closed in on the La Liga title after beating 10-man Atletico Madrid 2-0 in Saturday's top-of-the-table showdown at the Nou Camp as late strikes by Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi gave the Catalans an 11-point lead at the top of the table.

Atletico began brightly but their gameplan went out of the window when Diego Costa was shown a straight red card in the 28th minute for a verbal tirade at referee Jesus Gil Manzano.

Atletico produced a gutsy second-half display, expertly shackling Barca, but the Catalans finally found a way past the visitors' outstanding goalkeeper Jan Oblak with a superb curling shot from Suarez in the 85th minute.

Moments later Messi sealed victory and quite probably the league title with an irresistibly cool finish into the net and Barca's fans jubilantly chanted "champions", crowing at their surely unassailable lead at the top with seven games remaining.

Atletico midfielder Koke conceded that Barca had wrapped up the title but questioned the decision to send Costa off.

"Barca are practically champions. It was a very strange game, we were doing so well until the red card but all the small details went their way," Koke told reporters.

"Whenever we come here something strange happens, we've had a lot of red cards against Barca and not all of them have been fair. When you have 10 men against one of the best teams in the world it's normal that it's a struggle."

Suarez highlighted his side's character for winning such a difficult game so soon after their gruelling 4-4 draw against Villarreal in midweek.

"This was another game which shows just how hard it is to win the league so we deserve lot more credit for what we're achieving," Suarez said.

"We've now got a very big advantage over Atletico. There are still some games left but we took two steps towards winning the league today."

Mad Moment

Atletico realistically needed to win at the Nou Camp for the first time since 2006 to stay in the title race and they played with ambition and intelligence in the opening stages, keeping the ball for long periods and depriving Barca of space.

But they were rocked by Costa's moment of madness which killed their early momentum and left them with little choice but to defend for the remaining hour of the game.

Striker Costa reacted angrily to not being awarded a foul after being tackled by Jordi Alba and gave a long verbal response to the referee, who to his disbelief pulled out a red card.

Costa had to be shepherded off the pitch by Barca's Gerard Pique as he struggled to control his temper while his team mates Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez earned bookings for venting their anger over the decision.

Atletico coped superbly with the setback and numerical disadvantage, controlling the space for the majority of the game.

Messi still carved his way through the middle of the pitch on two occasions, creating openings for Suarez and himself but both South American forwards were thwarted by the titanic presence of Oblak.

Atletico naturally had limited opportunities down the other end but were not far from finding a goal when Antoine Griezmann picked out Rodrigo from a free kick but the midfielder headed over the bar when Gimenez was stood behind him, in a better position.

Diego Simeone's side could not last the distance, however, and as their legs inevitably tired, Barca's attacking quality made the difference.

"We knew what the game would be like, Atletico are very organised and after the red card we tried to attack more but it wasn't easy," Suarez said.

"But we kept going, we showed a great attitude and kept testing their goalkeeper who was the hero of the game."

Barcelona closed in on the La Liga title after beating 10-man Atletico Madrid 2-0 in Saturday's top-of-the-table showdown at the Nou Camp as late strikes by Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi gave the Catalans an 11-point lead at the top of the table.

Barcelona closed in on the La Liga title after beating 10-man Atletico Madrid 2-0 in Saturday's top-of-the-table showdown at the Nou Camp as late strikes by Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi gave the Catalans an 11-point lead at the top of the table. Atletico began brightly but their gameplan went out of the window when Diego Costa was shown a straight red card in the 28th minute for a verbal tirade at referee Jesus Gil Manzano. Atletico produced a gutsy second-half display, expertly shackling Barca, but the Catalans finally found a way past the visitors' outstanding goalkeeper Jan Oblak with a superb curling shot from Suarez in the 85th minute. Moments later Messi sealed victory and quite probably the league title with an irresistibly cool finish into the net and Barca's fans jubilantly chanted "champions", crowing at their surely unassailable lead at the top with seven games remaining. Atletico midfielder Koke conceded that Barca had wrapped up the title but questioned the decision to send Costa off. "Barca are practically champions. It was a very strange game, we were doing so well until the red card but all the small details went their way," Koke told reporters. "Whenever we come here something strange happens, we've had a lot of red cards against Barca and not all of them have been fair. When you have 10 men against one of the best teams in the world it's normal that it's a struggle." Suarez highlighted his side's character for winning such a difficult game so soon after their gruelling 4-4 draw against Villarreal in midweek. "This was another game which shows just how hard it is to win the league so we deserve lot more credit for what we're achieving," Suarez said. "We've now got a very big advantage over Atletico. There are still some games left but we took two steps towards winning the league today." Mad Moment Atletico realistically needed to win at the Nou Camp for the first time since 2006 to stay in the title race and they played with ambition and intelligence in the opening stages, keeping the ball for long periods and depriving Barca of space. But they were rocked by Costa's moment of madness which killed their early momentum and left them with little choice but to defend for the remaining hour of the game. Striker Costa reacted angrily to not being awarded a foul after being tackled by Jordi Alba and gave a long verbal response to the referee, who to his disbelief pulled out a red card. Costa had to be shepherded off the pitch by Barca's Gerard Pique as he struggled to control his temper while his team mates Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez earned bookings for venting their anger over the decision. Atletico coped superbly with the setback and numerical disadvantage, controlling the space for the majority of the game. Messi still carved his way through the middle of the pitch on two occasions, creating openings for Suarez and himself but both South American forwards were thwarted by the titanic presence of Oblak. Atletico naturally had limited opportunities down the other end but were not far from finding a goal when Antoine Griezmann picked out Rodrigo from a free kick but the midfielder headed over the bar when Gimenez was stood behind him, in a better position. Diego Simeone's side could not last the distance, however, and as their legs inevitably tired, Barca's attacking quality made the difference. "We knew what the game would be like, Atletico are very organised and after the red card we tried to attack more but it wasn't easy," Suarez said. "But we kept going, we showed a great attitude and kept testing their goalkeeper who was the hero of the game."

Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi late-show sinks 10-man Atletico Madrid

Barcelona forward Luis Suarez has been sidelined for up to 15 days after spraining his right ankle during <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lionel-messis-hat-trick-earns-standing-ovation-from-betis-fans-barca-captain-says-very-grateful-203947">Barca's La Liga win over Real Betis</a> on Sunday.&nbsp;

Barcelona's website has released a statement, which confirmed that Suarez has a sprained right ankle and will undertake his recovery with the FC Barcelona medical team.&nbsp;

After the injury, Suarez has also withdrawn from the Uruguayan national team squad, which means, he will not feature in Uruguay's China Cup clash against Uzbekistan on Friday.&nbsp;

Suarez was taken off late on in the 1-4 win against Real Betis at the Benito Villamarin, having scored his side's third goal and provided an assist for Leo Messi.&nbsp;

His goal was his 18th in La Liga this season, and he is the second top scorer in La Liga behind only Messi (29).&nbsp;

It also took him level with Diego Forlan as the Uruguayan with the most goals in the division of all time, with 128.&nbsp;

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[MEDICAL REPORT] 
<a href="https://twitter.com/LuisSuarez9?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LuisSuarez9</a> out for 10-15 days 
More details 👉 <a href="https://t.co/ldItYNolPW">https://t.co/ldItYNolPW</a> 
🔵🔴 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BetisBar%C3%A7a?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BetisBarça</a> <a href="https://t.co/Gz0ftoSvBe">pic.twitter.com/Gz0ftoSvBe</a>
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Now, Suarez will hope to recover in time for Barca's La Liga clash against Atletico Madrid on April 6 and has just under four weeks to be ready for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Manchester United.&nbsp;

Barcelona forward Luis Suarez has been sidelined for up to 15 days after spraining his right ankle during Barca's La Liga win over Real Betis on Sunday. Barcelona's website has released a statement, which confirmed that Suarez has a sprained right ankle and will undertake his recovery with the FC Barcelona medical team.

Barcelona forward Luis Suarez has been sidelined for up to 15 days after spraining his right ankle during Barca's La Liga win over Real Betis on Sunday. Barcelona's website has released a statement, which confirmed that Suarez has a sprained right ankle and will undertake his recovery with the FC Barcelona medical team. After the injury, Suarez has also withdrawn from the Uruguayan national team squad, which means, he will not feature in Uruguay's China Cup clash against Uzbekistan on Friday. Suarez was taken off late on in the 1-4 win against Real Betis at the Benito Villamarin, having scored his side's third goal and provided an assist for Leo Messi. His goal was his 18th in La Liga this season, and he is the second top scorer in La Liga behind only Messi (29). It also took him level with Diego Forlan as the Uruguayan with the most goals in the division of all time, with 128. [MEDICAL REPORT] @LuisSuarez9 out for 10-15 days More details 👉 https://t.co/ldItYNolPW 🔵🔴 #BetisBarça pic.twitter.com/Gz0ftoSvBe — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 18, 2019 × Now, Suarez will hope to recover in time for Barca's La Liga clash against Atletico Madrid on April 6 and has just under four weeks to be ready for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Manchester United.

Luis Suarez sidelined for 10-15 days with an ankle injury

A clinical Barcelona won 3-0 at Real Madrid in an intense second leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final on Wednesday as a Luis Suarez double helped them secure a 4-1 aggregate victory and a spot in the final for the sixth straight season.

A dominant yet wasteful Real ravaged their rivals in the first half while spurning a string of clear chances at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Yet Barca went ahead against the run of play in the 50th minute as Ousmane Dembele led a counter-attack and Suarez slotted his pass into the net.

Spearheaded by the pace and confidence of Brazilian teenager Vinicius Jr, Madrid continued to fly forward but failed to find the target.

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🔵🔴 This is becoming something of a habit ... And a very nice one too! <a href="https://t.co/uXLg07jjoj">https://t.co/uXLg07jjoj</a>
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/1100941185999425536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Barca effectively killed off the tie when Raphael Varane bundled the ball into his own net as he tried to prevent Suarez reaching another cross from Dembele.

Suarez then earned a penalty and further humiliated Madrid by converting with an audacious 'Panenka', deceiving goalkeeper Keylor Navas by chipping the ball into the net.

Barca, who lost first leg games to Levante and Sevilla in the Cup and drew 1-1 with Madrid in the first leg of the semi-final, booked their place in the final at the Benito Villamarin stadium, the home of Real Betis, on May 25.

Bidding to win the trophy for a record fifth year in a row, the Catalans will face either Betis or Valencia, who drew 2-2 in the first leg of their semi-final and meet again on Thursday.

"This is another demonstration of how good this team is. People keep saying that we don't care about the Cup, but we have shown that we always want to win every single trophy," Suarez told reporters.

Numerous Chances

Real coach Santiago Solari stressed his side's dominance in the game but cursed their inability to take their numerous chances.

"In football, you have to be efficient and take the chances you get," he said.

"We fell with honour, we could do no more. We were not clinical but they were, and we go home feeling hurt because we really wanted to reach the final."

Worst of all for Madrid, La Liga leaders Barca will be back at the Bernabeu once again on Saturday for a league fixture which, should they win again, would see them move 12 points clear of their arch-rivals.

Barca coach Ernesto Valverde attempted to neutralise the threat of Vinicius by deploying right-sided defenders Sergi Roberto and Nelson Semedo to protect the left flank but the Brazilian was still the most dangerous player in the first half.

Vinicius could have won a penalty when Semedo clattered into him and had three clear chances to score before the interval, failing to hit the target twice from inside the area, and being thwarted by Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.

He continued to dance his way through Barca's defence after the break but his final touch let him down.

Shortly after Suarez's opener, he cut into the box and delivered a cross which Sergio Reguilon met with a diving header, but Ter Stegen flew across his goal to repel the effort.

Madrid, who were also beaten 3-0 by Barca at the Bernabeu in La Liga last season and were thrashed 5-1 by their rivals back in October, lost their heads after that chance and there was no coming back following Varane's own goal.

Barca seemed to relish their role as Real's tormentors and Suarez took the ball from usual penalty taker Lionel Messi to complete their fourth victory in five visits to the Bernabeu with an ice-cool finish from the spot.

A clinical Barcelona won 3-0 at Real Madrid in an intense second leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final on Wednesday as a Luis Suarez double helped them secure a 4-1 aggregate victory and a spot in the final for the sixth straight season.

A clinical Barcelona won 3-0 at Real Madrid in an intense second leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final on Wednesday as a Luis Suarez double helped them secure a 4-1 aggregate victory and a spot in the final for the sixth straight season. A dominant yet wasteful Real ravaged their rivals in the first half while spurning a string of clear chances at the Santiago Bernabeu. Yet Barca went ahead against the run of play in the 50th minute as Ousmane Dembele led a counter-attack and Suarez slotted his pass into the net. Spearheaded by the pace and confidence of Brazilian teenager Vinicius Jr, Madrid continued to fly forward but failed to find the target. 🔵🔴 This is becoming something of a habit ... And a very nice one too! https://t.co/uXLg07jjoj — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) February 28, 2019 × Barca effectively killed off the tie when Raphael Varane bundled the ball into his own net as he tried to prevent Suarez reaching another cross from Dembele. Suarez then earned a penalty and further humiliated Madrid by converting with an audacious 'Panenka', deceiving goalkeeper Keylor Navas by chipping the ball into the net. Barca, who lost first leg games to Levante and Sevilla in the Cup and drew 1-1 with Madrid in the first leg of the semi-final, booked their place in the final at the Benito Villamarin stadium, the home of Real Betis, on May 25. Bidding to win the trophy for a record fifth year in a row, the Catalans will face either Betis or Valencia, who drew 2-2 in the first leg of their semi-final and meet again on Thursday. "This is another demonstration of how good this team is. People keep saying that we don't care about the Cup, but we have shown that we always want to win every single trophy," Suarez told reporters. Numerous Chances Real coach Santiago Solari stressed his side's dominance in the game but cursed their inability to take their numerous chances. "In football, you have to be efficient and take the chances you get," he said. "We fell with honour, we could do no more. We were not clinical but they were, and we go home feeling hurt because we really wanted to reach the final." Worst of all for Madrid, La Liga leaders Barca will be back at the Bernabeu once again on Saturday for a league fixture which, should they win again, would see them move 12 points clear of their arch-rivals. Barca coach Ernesto Valverde attempted to neutralise the threat of Vinicius by deploying right-sided defenders Sergi Roberto and Nelson Semedo to protect the left flank but the Brazilian was still the most dangerous player in the first half. Vinicius could have won a penalty when Semedo clattered into him and had three clear chances to score before the interval, failing to hit the target twice from inside the area, and being thwarted by Marc-Andre Ter Stegen. He continued to dance his way through Barca's defence after the break but his final touch let him down. Shortly after Suarez's opener, he cut into the box and delivered a cross which Sergio Reguilon met with a diving header, but Ter Stegen flew across his goal to repel the effort. Madrid, who were also beaten 3-0 by Barca at the Bernabeu in La Liga last season and were thrashed 5-1 by their rivals back in October, lost their heads after that chance and there was no coming back following Varane's own goal. Barca seemed to relish their role as Real's tormentors and Suarez took the ball from usual penalty taker Lionel Messi to complete their fourth victory in five visits to the Bernabeu with an ice-cool finish from the spot.

Copa del Rey: Luis Suarez double downs Real Madrid to send Barcelona into final

Lionel Messi hit a sumptuous hat-trick, the 50th of his career, to inspire Barcelona to a 4-2 victory over Sevilla on Saturday and take them one step closer to winning La Liga.

Messi was supposed to be lacking fitness and Barca struggling for form but both delivered a resounding response at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, with two matches against Real Madrid just around the corner.

After scoring 11 goals in nine games, Messi's thigh strain had coincided with a dip by his own high standards, one goal in four prompting concerns that he was being pushed too far.

But the Argentinian was back to his scintillating best, this was his 44th treble for Barcelona, now the joint most for a Spanish club alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, rounded off by a trademark chip late on.&nbsp;

Luis Suarez needed a goal too after a disappointing performance against Lyon in midweek and he wrapped up the perfect afternoon by adding a fourth after Jesus Navas and Gabriel Mercado had twice put Sevilla ahead in the first half.&nbsp;

Sevilla's top-four hopes look increasingly uncertain but for Barcelona, this was one of the toughest tests left in their run-in, with perhaps the most difficult to come next weekend, against Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.&nbsp;

Real, who face Levante on Sunday, sit 12 points behind Barca and their best hope of a domestic trophy is surely now in beating them first on Wednesday in the Copa del Rey.

As well as a return to form for Messi and Suarez, there was a return to the team for Samuel Umtiti, the defender handed his first appearance in three months after recovering from a knee injury.&nbsp;

It was given an early test as Wissam Ben Yedder twisted him one way and then the other but Umtiti was quick on his feet and did well to make the block.&nbsp;

Sevilla had started at a furious pace and it was the speedy Navas that scored first, sprinting almost 78 metres to meet the end of a slick counter-attack.&nbsp;

Messi lost the ball and Ben Yedder set off through the centre, teeing up Navas on the right to find the far corner.&nbsp;

Messi soon made amends. Ivan Rakitic sent over a dangling cross, which he volleyed sweetly past Tomas Vaclik with his left foot.&nbsp;

The ball was flying from one end to the other as Umtiti stopped the lively Pablo Sarabia and Gerard Pique's blistering break forward was halted by his opposite number three, Sergi Gomez.&nbsp;

Sevilla scored next, just before half-time, with Marc-Andre ter Stegen's underhit clearance allowing Sarabia to scuttle down the right. He flicked the ball off the goal line and back to Mercado, who steered it into the net.&nbsp;

Ousmane Dembele came on and should have equalised, fluffing his finish after a cross from Suarez, who should have had a penalty when Simon Kjaer caught him late.

Messi provided the finishing touch. Again it came from the goalkeeper, Vaclik's punt falling straight to Rakitic. Dembele pulled back for Messi, who took one touch and curled it, this time right-footed, into the top corner.&nbsp;

Sevilla looked dead on their feet, their early intensity draining away, and Messi landed the knock-out blow. There was a hint of fortune as Carles Alena's shot deflected neatly into his path. Vaclik came out but Messi scooped it over his body and in.&nbsp;

Three times a scorer, there was still time for an assist. Messi chested and poked the ball through for Suarez, who lobbied to make it four.&nbsp;

Lionel Messi hit a sumptuous hat-trick, the 50th of his career, to inspire Barcelona to a 4-2 victory over Sevilla on Saturday and take them one step closer to winning La Liga.

Lionel Messi hit a sumptuous hat-trick, the 50th of his career, to inspire Barcelona to a 4-2 victory over Sevilla on Saturday and take them one step closer to winning La Liga. Messi was supposed to be lacking fitness and Barca struggling for form but both delivered a resounding response at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, with two matches against Real Madrid just around the corner. After scoring 11 goals in nine games, Messi's thigh strain had coincided with a dip by his own high standards, one goal in four prompting concerns that he was being pushed too far. But the Argentinian was back to his scintillating best, this was his 44th treble for Barcelona, now the joint most for a Spanish club alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, rounded off by a trademark chip late on. Luis Suarez needed a goal too after a disappointing performance against Lyon in midweek and he wrapped up the perfect afternoon by adding a fourth after Jesus Navas and Gabriel Mercado had twice put Sevilla ahead in the first half. Sevilla's top-four hopes look increasingly uncertain but for Barcelona, this was one of the toughest tests left in their run-in, with perhaps the most difficult to come next weekend, against Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu. Real, who face Levante on Sunday, sit 12 points behind Barca and their best hope of a domestic trophy is surely now in beating them first on Wednesday in the Copa del Rey. As well as a return to form for Messi and Suarez, there was a return to the team for Samuel Umtiti, the defender handed his first appearance in three months after recovering from a knee injury. It was given an early test as Wissam Ben Yedder twisted him one way and then the other but Umtiti was quick on his feet and did well to make the block. Sevilla had started at a furious pace and it was the speedy Navas that scored first, sprinting almost 78 metres to meet the end of a slick counter-attack. Messi lost the ball and Ben Yedder set off through the centre, teeing up Navas on the right to find the far corner. Messi soon made amends. Ivan Rakitic sent over a dangling cross, which he volleyed sweetly past Tomas Vaclik with his left foot. The ball was flying from one end to the other as Umtiti stopped the lively Pablo Sarabia and Gerard Pique's blistering break forward was halted by his opposite number three, Sergi Gomez. Sevilla scored next, just before half-time, with Marc-Andre ter Stegen's underhit clearance allowing Sarabia to scuttle down the right. He flicked the ball off the goal line and back to Mercado, who steered it into the net. Ousmane Dembele came on and should have equalised, fluffing his finish after a cross from Suarez, who should have had a penalty when Simon Kjaer caught him late. Messi provided the finishing touch. Again it came from the goalkeeper, Vaclik's punt falling straight to Rakitic. Dembele pulled back for Messi, who took one touch and curled it, this time right-footed, into the top corner. Sevilla looked dead on their feet, their early intensity draining away, and Messi landed the knock-out blow. There was a hint of fortune as Carles Alena's shot deflected neatly into his path. Vaclik came out but Messi scooped it over his body and in. Three times a scorer, there was still time for an assist. Messi chested and poked the ball through for Suarez, who lobbied to make it four.

Messi treble fires Barcelona to thrilling win over Sevilla

Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde is reluctant to rest Luis Suarez even though he is aware the Uruguayan is struggling for form thanks to the team's congested fixture list, which includes two games against Real Madrid over the next eight days.

La Liga leaders Barca, who have a seven-point advantage over second-placed Atletico Madrid and nine over Real, visit fourth-placed Sevilla on Saturday before back-to-back meetings at the Santiago Bernabeu, in a Copa del Rey semi-final second leg on Wednesday before a league meeting three days later.

As in recent years, the Catalans are experiencing a dip in form in February, winning one and drawing four games in all competitions this month.

Some players, including Suarez and Lionel Messi, are both going through lean spells, as fatigue appears to have caught up with them. While Messi scored on nine successive appearances from Dec. 16 to Feb. 2, he has netted only once since then. Suarez, however, has failed to score at all during February.

"We will have three really tough games in seven days, so we'll have to think about rotating. We know how costly it could be to get an injury at this stage," Valverde told a news conference on Friday.

But those plans do not include leaving out Suarez.

Suarez, 32, has come in for criticism following a poor display in Barca's 0-0 draw at Olympique Lyonnais in the Champions League.

Despite signs that the Uruguayan could benefit from another rest, Valverde said it was difficult to leave out the striker.

"He is well, last week (against Valladolid) he started on the bench so he has already rested. Suarez guarantees us chances in every game, it's difficult to let go of him," Valverde added.

"People always focus on the same names in certain moments. It's curious with Luis because he's been in the spotlight before and then he has come back and scored lots of goals. We are talking about the fifth highest scorer in the club's history.

"We just need to be patient and persevere, which is what he is doing, and the players and I are very patient with him because he's a great player."

Barca lost 2-0 in their last visit to Sevilla, in the Copa del Rey in January, but turned the tie around with a thumping 6-1 win in the second leg.

Valverde warned of the dangers of Pablo Machin's side, who thrashed Real Madrid 3-0 at home earlier this season.

"Sevilla are a fearsome team at their ground, even though they are not the same team away from home and they are suffering because of that," Valverde added.

"They have had some great results against the top teams, and the last time we went there we lost."

Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde is reluctant to rest Luis Suarez even though he is aware the Uruguayan is struggling for form thanks to the team's congested fixture list, which includes two games against Real Madrid over the next eight days.

Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde is reluctant to rest Luis Suarez even though he is aware the Uruguayan is struggling for form thanks to the team's congested fixture list, which includes two games against Real Madrid over the next eight days. La Liga leaders Barca, who have a seven-point advantage over second-placed Atletico Madrid and nine over Real, visit fourth-placed Sevilla on Saturday before back-to-back meetings at the Santiago Bernabeu, in a Copa del Rey semi-final second leg on Wednesday before a league meeting three days later. As in recent years, the Catalans are experiencing a dip in form in February, winning one and drawing four games in all competitions this month. Some players, including Suarez and Lionel Messi, are both going through lean spells, as fatigue appears to have caught up with them. While Messi scored on nine successive appearances from Dec. 16 to Feb. 2, he has netted only once since then. Suarez, however, has failed to score at all during February. "We will have three really tough games in seven days, so we'll have to think about rotating. We know how costly it could be to get an injury at this stage," Valverde told a news conference on Friday. But those plans do not include leaving out Suarez. Suarez, 32, has come in for criticism following a poor display in Barca's 0-0 draw at Olympique Lyonnais in the Champions League. Despite signs that the Uruguayan could benefit from another rest, Valverde said it was difficult to leave out the striker. "He is well, last week (against Valladolid) he started on the bench so he has already rested. Suarez guarantees us chances in every game, it's difficult to let go of him," Valverde added. "People always focus on the same names in certain moments. It's curious with Luis because he's been in the spotlight before and then he has come back and scored lots of goals. We are talking about the fifth highest scorer in the club's history. "We just need to be patient and persevere, which is what he is doing, and the players and I are very patient with him because he's a great player." Barca lost 2-0 in their last visit to Sevilla, in the Copa del Rey in January, but turned the tie around with a thumping 6-1 win in the second leg. Valverde warned of the dangers of Pablo Machin's side, who thrashed Real Madrid 3-0 at home earlier this season. "Sevilla are a fearsome team at their ground, even though they are not the same team away from home and they are suffering because of that," Valverde added. "They have had some great results against the top teams, and the last time we went there we lost."

Ernesto Valverde reluctant to rest out-of-form Suarez

Barcelona's German goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen produced two fine saves to deny Athletic Bilbao victory as La Liga leaders Barcelona were held to a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/barcelona-give-fresh-hope-to-la-liga-rivals-after-athletic-bilbao-stalemate-196487">goalless draw</a> at the Estadio San Mames on Sunday.&nbsp;

Ter Stegen turned away Markel Susaeta's arcing shot before the break and then produced a superb reflex stop to repel Inaki Williams' effort from point-blank range.&nbsp;

With the draw, Ernesto Valverde's squad thus dropped two points in the La Liga standings relative to Real Madrid, which is now behind Barca by only six points, but widened its lead to seven over Atletico Madrid, which slipped into third place.&nbsp;

Barca might even have left empty-handed with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez misfiring as Gaizka Garitano's men started and finished strongly.&nbsp;

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📝 Here's the story from San Mamés 
🔵🔴 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AthleticBar%C3%A7a?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AthleticBarça</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/For%C3%A7aBar%C3%A7a?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ForçaBarça</a> <a href="https://t.co/8klmaZYIND">https://t.co/8klmaZYIND</a>
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While Barcelona boss Valverde looked unfazed by the result during the post-match press conference.&nbsp;

He said, "We end this week exactly like we ended the previous one. We were on top last week and we are on top this week."

"And, if my calculations are correct, we will be on top after next week as well," he added.&nbsp;

On being asked about lack of communication between players, Valverde said, "Every time we talk about the attack, we always talk about the ability of the players to talk to each other in the right moment."

"Sometimes a player gets free and get the ball into his feet and other times, when he is expecting the ball to land into his feet, it goes into the space," Valverde added.&nbsp;

Although Athletic saw De Marcos dismissed for a second bookable offence in stoppage time, there was no late drama.&nbsp;

Barcelona's German goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen produced two fine saves to deny Athletic Bilbao victory as La Liga leaders Barcelona were held to a goalless draw at the Estadio San Mames on Sunday.

Barcelona's German goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen produced two fine saves to deny Athletic Bilbao victory as La Liga leaders Barcelona were held to a goalless draw at the Estadio San Mames on Sunday. Ter Stegen turned away Markel Susaeta's arcing shot before the break and then produced a superb reflex stop to repel Inaki Williams' effort from point-blank range. With the draw, Ernesto Valverde's squad thus dropped two points in the La Liga standings relative to Real Madrid, which is now behind Barca by only six points, but widened its lead to seven over Atletico Madrid, which slipped into third place. Barca might even have left empty-handed with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez misfiring as Gaizka Garitano's men started and finished strongly. 📝 Here's the story from San Mamés 🔵🔴 #AthleticBarça #ForçaBarça https://t.co/8klmaZYIND — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) February 10, 2019 × While Barcelona boss Valverde looked unfazed by the result during the post-match press conference. He said, "We end this week exactly like we ended the previous one. We were on top last week and we are on top this week." "And, if my calculations are correct, we will be on top after next week as well," he added. On being asked about lack of communication between players, Valverde said, "Every time we talk about the attack, we always talk about the ability of the players to talk to each other in the right moment." "Sometimes a player gets free and get the ball into his feet and other times, when he is expecting the ball to land into his feet, it goes into the space," Valverde added. Although Athletic saw De Marcos dismissed for a second bookable offence in stoppage time, there was no late drama.

Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde unfazed by Real Madrid title challenge

Barcelona striker Luis Suarez will be out of action for two weeks as he undergoes stem cell treatment on his right knee, the Spanish champions said Monday.

The Uruguayan forward had been suffering pain and was not included in Barcelona's squad for the trip to face PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Suarez joins Sergi Roberto on the sidelines, with the midfielder out for three weeks with a hamstring injury sustained against Atletico Madrid on Saturday.

Rafinha Alcantara was ruled out for the rest of the season with a cruciate ligament injury to his left knee, also sustained in Saturday's 1-1 draw at the Wanda Metropolitano.

Brazilian midfielder Arthur was also omitted from the squad with a thigh strain, but Ivan Rakitic and Philippe Coutinho return after injury.

Barcelona striker Luis Suarez will be out of action for two weeks as he undergoes stem cell treatment on his right knee, the Spanish champions said Monday. The Uruguayan forward had been suffering pain and was not included in Barcelona's squad for the trip to face PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Barcelona striker Luis Suarez will be out of action for two weeks as he undergoes stem cell treatment on his right knee, the Spanish champions said Monday. The Uruguayan forward had been suffering pain and was not included in Barcelona's squad for the trip to face PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Wednesday. Suarez joins Sergi Roberto on the sidelines, with the midfielder out for three weeks with a hamstring injury sustained against Atletico Madrid on Saturday. Rafinha Alcantara was ruled out for the rest of the season with a cruciate ligament injury to his left knee, also sustained in Saturday's 1-1 draw at the Wanda Metropolitano. Brazilian midfielder Arthur was also omitted from the squad with a thigh strain, but Ivan Rakitic and Philippe Coutinho return after injury.

Luis Suarez to miss two weeks for knee treatment

Barcelona's struggling French forward Ousmane Dembele should follow the example of his more experienced club mates to work his way back into the team, striker Luis Suarez said on Monday.

Dembele was left out of the squad for Barca's 4-3 defeat by Real Betis last Sunday after failing to turn up to training three days earlier and, according to Spanish media reports, failing to inform the club of his whereabouts for 90 minutes.

The 21-year-old France international has struggled to fully adapt at Barca since signing from Borussia Dortmund in August 2017 for a then club record fee of $119.01 million with a view to filling the void left by Neymar.

His playing time has been limited by a series of hamstring injuries and he has also fallen foul of the club’s disciplinary code, including turning up late for a team meeting before a Champions League game at home to Inter Milan in October as well as his recent no-show for training.

Speaking before Uruguay's international friendly with France in Paris on Tuesday, Suarez said Dembele did not have a bad relationship with his fellow Barca players but he challenged his team mate to get his head down and concentrate more.

"Perhaps he needs to focus more and be a little more responsible in some areas. He's very young and he can look up to the more experienced players that surround him," Suarez said.

"But he still deserves to be in the team. It's not the case that he hasn't adapted to the dressing room. The relationship he has with his teammates is good, he's happy, but some of us have told him and he knows that it's a privilege to be where we are."

Last week, Barca defender Gerard Pique said he and the club's other senior players needed "to help Dembele to understand that football is a 24-hour job and he has to live accordingly".

Barcelona's struggling French forward Ousmane Dembele should follow the example of his more experienced club mates to work his way back into the team, striker Luis Suarez said on Monday.

Barcelona's struggling French forward Ousmane Dembele should follow the example of his more experienced club mates to work his way back into the team, striker Luis Suarez said on Monday. Dembele was left out of the squad for Barca's 4-3 defeat by Real Betis last Sunday after failing to turn up to training three days earlier and, according to Spanish media reports, failing to inform the club of his whereabouts for 90 minutes. The 21-year-old France international has struggled to fully adapt at Barca since signing from Borussia Dortmund in August 2017 for a then club record fee of $119.01 million with a view to filling the void left by Neymar. His playing time has been limited by a series of hamstring injuries and he has also fallen foul of the club’s disciplinary code, including turning up late for a team meeting before a Champions League game at home to Inter Milan in October as well as his recent no-show for training. Speaking before Uruguay's international friendly with France in Paris on Tuesday, Suarez said Dembele did not have a bad relationship with his fellow Barca players but he challenged his team mate to get his head down and concentrate more. "Perhaps he needs to focus more and be a little more responsible in some areas. He's very young and he can look up to the more experienced players that surround him," Suarez said. "But he still deserves to be in the team. It's not the case that he hasn't adapted to the dressing room. The relationship he has with his teammates is good, he's happy, but some of us have told him and he knows that it's a privilege to be where we are." Last week, Barca defender Gerard Pique said he and the club's other senior players needed "to help Dembele to understand that football is a 24-hour job and he has to live accordingly".

Dembele must learn from experienced Barca players: Luis Suarez

Barcelona forward Luis Suarez scored a hat-trick as his side thrashed arch-rivals Real Madrid 5-1 on Sunday in a highly entertaining 'Clasico' which surely will signal the end of hapless coach Julen Lopetegui's spell in charge of Real.

Barca's Philippe Coutinho opened the scoring in the 11th minute following a slick team move and Suarez doubled their advantage on the half-hour mark by converting a penalty awarded after consultation with the video assistant referee (VAR).

Real had looked lifeless in the first half but produced a courageous display after the break following a tactical switch from Lopetegui. They deservedly pulled a goal back through Marcelo and came close to grabbing an equaliser as Luka Modric struck the post and Sergio Ramos headed narrowly over.

Barca reasserted their authority and ran riot in the final 15 minutes with two more goals from Suarez, while a header from substitute Arturo Vidal further twisted the knife into Real, who have lost their last three league games and are seven points behind Barca in the La Liga standings in ninth position.

Barcelona forward Luis Suarez scored a hat-trick as his side thrashed arch-rivals Real Madrid 5-1 on Sunday in a highly entertaining 'Clasico' which surely will signal the end of hapless coach Julen Lopetegui's spell in charge of Real.

Barcelona forward Luis Suarez scored a hat-trick as his side thrashed arch-rivals Real Madrid 5-1 on Sunday in a highly entertaining 'Clasico' which surely will signal the end of hapless coach Julen Lopetegui's spell in charge of Real. Barca's Philippe Coutinho opened the scoring in the 11th minute following a slick team move and Suarez doubled their advantage on the half-hour mark by converting a penalty awarded after consultation with the video assistant referee (VAR). Real had looked lifeless in the first half but produced a courageous display after the break following a tactical switch from Lopetegui. They deservedly pulled a goal back through Marcelo and came close to grabbing an equaliser as Luka Modric struck the post and Sergio Ramos headed narrowly over. Barca reasserted their authority and ran riot in the final 15 minutes with two more goals from Suarez, while a header from substitute Arturo Vidal further twisted the knife into Real, who have lost their last three league games and are seven points behind Barca in the La Liga standings in ninth position.

El Clasico: Suarez's hat-trick helps Barcelona thump insipid Madrid, pressure mounts on Real coach

FC Barcelona's Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez said Tuesday that everyone, including the Uruguayan national team, dreams of the World Cup and has high hopes to go as far as possible.

"Why don't dream? Everyone dreams of the World Cup, with all the expectations to go far. We have the capacity to go as far as possible," he said at a press conference.

He said many of his Barcelona teammates told him they did not want to face the Uruguayan team, which gave him satisfaction and, in his opinion, this showed their respect for his national team.

He explained that the players of "La Celeste" (The Sky Blue) are prepared to "be neat."

"As the days go by, we see some shortcomings that we may have and that we must try to correct," he admitted.

Suarez was emotional to talk with the three compatriots who had to leave the final 23-man squad that will play in the World Cup: Federico Valverde, Nicolas Lodeiro and Gaston Ramirez.

Suarez said Valverde, 19, who plays for Deportivo La Coruna, will get a "rematch and many more possibilities."

For Lodeiro, he said that his absence from the World Cup is difficult because he is a friend.

He also regretted the loss of Ramirez because of the experience he has accumulated in the previous World Cups.

Uruguay is in Group A with Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Russia.&nbsp;

Suarez said that Egypt will be a tough rival, as it is Uruguay's first match in the World Cup and his opponent is armed with Liverpool's forward Mohamed Salah.

"Saudi Arabia might be a little more accessible than Egypt, but it is a World Cup and the national team will want to play a good role," he added.

Uruguay's first match in the World Cup is against Egypt and his opponent is armed with Liverpool's forward Mohamed Salah

FC Barcelona's Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez said Tuesday that everyone, including the Uruguayan national team, dreams of the World Cup and has high hopes to go as far as possible. "Why don't dream? Everyone dreams of the World Cup, with all the expectations to go far. We have the capacity to go as far as possible," he said at a press conference. He said many of his Barcelona teammates told him they did not want to face the Uruguayan team, which gave him satisfaction and, in his opinion, this showed their respect for his national team. He explained that the players of "La Celeste" (The Sky Blue) are prepared to "be neat." "As the days go by, we see some shortcomings that we may have and that we must try to correct," he admitted. Suarez was emotional to talk with the three compatriots who had to leave the final 23-man squad that will play in the World Cup: Federico Valverde, Nicolas Lodeiro and Gaston Ramirez. Suarez said Valverde, 19, who plays for Deportivo La Coruna, will get a "rematch and many more possibilities." For Lodeiro, he said that his absence from the World Cup is difficult because he is a friend. He also regretted the loss of Ramirez because of the experience he has accumulated in the previous World Cups. Uruguay is in Group A with Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Russia. Suarez said that Egypt will be a tough rival, as it is Uruguay's first match in the World Cup and his opponent is armed with Liverpool's forward Mohamed Salah. "Saudi Arabia might be a little more accessible than Egypt, but it is a World Cup and the national team will want to play a good role," he added.

FIFA World Cup 2018: Luis Suarez admits Egypt will be a tough rival

Uruguay forward Luis Suarez took a nibble from Italy's Giorgio Chiellini shoulder and was suspended for four months from all football-related activities and also was handed a nine-match international suspension.

During Uruguay's final group game against Italy, the biting incident happened and became one of the most remembered incidents in the history of FIFA.

The match was eventually won by the South American side 1-0 and Uruguay progressed to the last 16, where they were beaten by Colombia.

This unusual incident was not happened the first time, biting Chiellini was third such instance in which Suarez sunk his teeth into an opponent while playing for Ajax and Liverpool.

Just after the World Cup on 11 July 2014, Suarez was transferred to FC Barcelona on a five-year contract for an undisclosed transfer fee.

Although Suarez thought his hopes of a switch to Catalonia had crumbled as a result of his actions at the World Cup in Brazil.

As the result of the suspension, he was banned from all "football-related activities" including training for Barcelona, for four months. He was also banned from entering any stadium, even as a spectator, during the same period and also missed 2015 Copa America.

Watch the video here:

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&nbsp;

Luis Suarez took a nibble from Italy's Giorgio Chiellini shoulder and was suspended for four months from all football-related activities

Uruguay forward Luis Suarez took a nibble from Italy's Giorgio Chiellini shoulder and was suspended for four months from all football-related activities and also was handed a nine-match international suspension. During Uruguay's final group game against Italy, the biting incident happened and became one of the most remembered incidents in the history of FIFA. The match was eventually won by the South American side 1-0 and Uruguay progressed to the last 16, where they were beaten by Colombia. This unusual incident was not happened the first time, biting Chiellini was third such instance in which Suarez sunk his teeth into an opponent while playing for Ajax and Liverpool. Just after the World Cup on 11 July 2014, Suarez was transferred to FC Barcelona on a five-year contract for an undisclosed transfer fee. Although Suarez thought his hopes of a switch to Catalonia had crumbled as a result of his actions at the World Cup in Brazil. As the result of the suspension, he was banned from all "football-related activities" including training for Barcelona, for four months. He was also banned from entering any stadium, even as a spectator, during the same period and also missed 2015 Copa America. Watch the video here: ×

Throwback to Luis Suarez's biting Chiellini in FIFA 2014: 'Anyone got a toothpick, Chiellini stuck in my teeth'

La Liga champions FC Barcelona continued its winning streak after drawing 2-2 against Real Madrid at Camp Nou on Sunday in an ill-tempered and highly charged "El Clasico."

Despite the fact that Barcelona already won the La Liga title, the normal league match saw a total of 28 fouls, eight yellow cards and&nbsp;a red card. Maybe this is the reason why El Clasico is the most celebrated rivalry&nbsp;worldwide.

Other than the two teams, the referee Hernandez Hernandez is being criticised for ignoring several fouls that could have changed the result.

Barca striker Luis Suarez scored the first goal and gave a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute which was equalised just after four minutes by Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo.

In the second half, Lionel Messi scored a stunner to give 2-1 lead but Madrid's forward Gareth Bale lashed home to deny La Liga champions a victory.

The match concluded with several controversies with both the teams playing a rough game.&nbsp;

Barca mid-fielder Sergio Roberto was given a red card for his unacceptable&nbsp;encounter with Marcelo.

Apart from verbal altercations and deliberate fouls, there were few incidents which referee ignored or missed completely and now they are being highlighted.

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Ramos: “Knowing Luis Suarez, I made clear that we wouldn't put the ball out of play.” [Marca] <a href="https://t.co/m1yrt0Np4p">pic.twitter.com/m1yrt0Np4p</a>
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In the 52nd minute, Luis Suarez made a clear foul while tackling Real's defender Varane but was somehow ignored by the referee. The tackle resulted positively for Barca as Messi took advantage of the pass and scored in the extreme left of the net and stunned&nbsp;Real's goalkeeper Keylor Navas.

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how is this not a foul ladies and gentlemen <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ElClasico?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ElClasico</a> <a href="https://t.co/8dxvjMaEZH">pic.twitter.com/8dxvjMaEZH</a>
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In another shocking event, Gareth Bale hit Barca defender Umtiti which went unpunished.

Jordi Alba grabbed Luka Modric by his neck which went unnoticed and Alba easily&nbsp;got away.&nbsp;

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Who does he think he is?? You can't grab Luka Modric by the neck!!! <a href="https://t.co/JK85wmpzyS">pic.twitter.com/JK85wmpzyS</a>
— Florentino Pérez (@RealFloPerez) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealFloPerez/status/993247624080838656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Also, a penalty by Jordi Alba was snubbed by a foul whistle that narrowed the Real chances to win the match when he pushed Marcelo. His&nbsp;spat with Marcelo also went unseen.

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Robbery Part 2: Ask any football fan, This is 100% Penalty and a straight Red Card for Jordi Alba. <a href="https://t.co/isbFYGGLX4">pic.twitter.com/isbFYGGLX4</a>
— RMadridBabe (@RMadridBabe) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMadridBabe/status/993226143024238593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Barcelona had their best&nbsp;chance when mid-fielder Ivan Rakitic was heading towards the goal but was given an invalid offside.

The list of incidents reflects on the urgent need of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in extremely intense matches such as "El Clasico."&nbsp;

The Barcelona-Real clash Sunday night saw 28 fouls, one grabbing of the neck, one red card, and eight yellows

La Liga champions FC Barcelona continued its winning streak after drawing 2-2 against Real Madrid at Camp Nou on Sunday in an ill-tempered and highly charged "El Clasico." Despite the fact that Barcelona already won the La Liga title, the normal league match saw a total of 28 fouls, eight yellow cards and a red card. Maybe this is the reason why El Clasico is the most celebrated rivalry worldwide. Other than the two teams, the referee Hernandez Hernandez is being criticised for ignoring several fouls that could have changed the result. Barca striker Luis Suarez scored the first goal and gave a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute which was equalised just after four minutes by Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo. In the second half, Lionel Messi scored a stunner to give 2-1 lead but Madrid's forward Gareth Bale lashed home to deny La Liga champions a victory. The match concluded with several controversies with both the teams playing a rough game. Barca mid-fielder Sergio Roberto was given a red card for his unacceptable encounter with Marcelo. Apart from verbal altercations and deliberate fouls, there were few incidents which referee ignored or missed completely and now they are being highlighted. Ramos: “Knowing Luis Suarez, I made clear that we wouldn't put the ball out of play.” [Marca] pic.twitter.com/m1yrt0Np4p — Real Madrid Info (@RMadridInfo) May 7, 2018 × In the 52nd minute, Luis Suarez made a clear foul while tackling Real's defender Varane but was somehow ignored by the referee. The tackle resulted positively for Barca as Messi took advantage of the pass and scored in the extreme left of the net and stunned Real's goalkeeper Keylor Navas. how is this not a foul ladies and gentlemen #ElClasico pic.twitter.com/8dxvjMaEZH — Buzz (@GHfollowtrain) May 6, 2018 × In another shocking event, Gareth Bale hit Barca defender Umtiti which went unpunished. Jordi Alba grabbed Luka Modric by his neck which went unnoticed and Alba easily got away. Who does he think he is?? You can't grab Luka Modric by the neck!!! pic.twitter.com/JK85wmpzyS — Florentino Pérez (@RealFloPerez) May 6, 2018 × Also, a penalty by Jordi Alba was snubbed by a foul whistle that narrowed the Real chances to win the match when he pushed Marcelo. His spat with Marcelo also went unseen. Robbery Part 2: Ask any football fan, This is 100% Penalty and a straight Red Card for Jordi Alba. pic.twitter.com/isbFYGGLX4 — RMadridBabe (@RMadridBabe) May 6, 2018 × Barcelona had their best chance when mid-fielder Ivan Rakitic was heading towards the goal but was given an invalid offside. The list of incidents reflects on the urgent need of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in extremely intense matches such as "El Clasico."

'El Clasico' not so classic: Other times the referee got it wrong

Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale lashed home to deny La Liga champions Barcelona victory in an ill-tempered 'Clasico' which finished 2-2 at the Nou Camp on Sunday (May 6) after the home side had Sergi Roberto sent off at the end of the first half.

Luis Suarez volleyed unbeaten Barca into the lead after 10 minutes following a gut-busting run and cross from Roberto while Cristiano Ronaldo levelled for Champions League finalists Real five minutes later from close range.

However, the Portugal forward's ankle was trodden on by Gerard Pique in the process and he was substituted at halftime. Coach Zinedine Zidane said the injury was "a small thing" and Ronaldo will be fit for the Champions League final.

Bale had risked getting sent off for raking his studs against Samuel Umtiti's leg but escaped without a booking on that occasion and Roberto was sent off moments later for hitting Marcelo following an off-the-ball tussle.

Lionel Messi scored a mesmerising, record-extending 26th Clasico goal to put 10-man Barca back in front after 52 minutes but Bale, who had contributed little, silenced the Nou Camp with a thumping strike from the edge of the area in the 72nd.

Champions Barca have 87 points while Real are third in the Liga standings with 72 after 35 games. Atletico Madrid, who lost their unbeaten home record in a 2-0 defeat by Espanyol erlier on Sunday, are second on 75 but have played one game more.

This was the first 'Clasico' in a decade which had no bearing on the title race but the game was still played with all the usual passion and tension which makes it the most famous club fixture in Europe.

Referee Alejando Hernandez Hernandez showed a total of eight yellow cards as well as the straight red for Roberto.

Bale was eventually booked as was the usually even-tempered Messi, who made an uncharacteristically aggressive challenge on Sergio Ramos after the Real captain had an ugly confrontation with Suarez which led to both players getting yellow cards.

Suarez appeared to have fouled Raphael Varane in the build-up to Messi's goal and the Uruguayan forward had a goal ruled out for offside three minutes later.

Both sides pushed for a winner and Real could have had a penalty when Jordi Alba caught Marcelo but Barca clung on to remain unbeaten in the league with three games to go.

Barcelona's players remained on the pitch after the game to celebrate their double success with the home fans, having clinched the title last week at Deportivo La Coruna and won the King's Cup final against Sevilla on April 21.

Real refused to offer the traditional guard of honour to the champions before the game so Barca defender Gerard Pique asked the Catalan club's coaching staff to form two lines either side of his team mates as they left the pitch.

Suarez appeared to have fouled Raphael Varane in the build-up to Messi's goal and the Uruguayan forward had a goal ruled out for offside three minutes later.

Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale lashed home to deny La Liga champions Barcelona victory in an ill-tempered 'Clasico' which finished 2-2 at the Nou Camp on Sunday (May 6) after the home side had Sergi Roberto sent off at the end of the first half. Luis Suarez volleyed unbeaten Barca into the lead after 10 minutes following a gut-busting run and cross from Roberto while Cristiano Ronaldo levelled for Champions League finalists Real five minutes later from close range. However, the Portugal forward's ankle was trodden on by Gerard Pique in the process and he was substituted at halftime. Coach Zinedine Zidane said the injury was "a small thing" and Ronaldo will be fit for the Champions League final. Bale had risked getting sent off for raking his studs against Samuel Umtiti's leg but escaped without a booking on that occasion and Roberto was sent off moments later for hitting Marcelo following an off-the-ball tussle. Lionel Messi scored a mesmerising, record-extending 26th Clasico goal to put 10-man Barca back in front after 52 minutes but Bale, who had contributed little, silenced the Nou Camp with a thumping strike from the edge of the area in the 72nd. Champions Barca have 87 points while Real are third in the Liga standings with 72 after 35 games. Atletico Madrid, who lost their unbeaten home record in a 2-0 defeat by Espanyol erlier on Sunday, are second on 75 but have played one game more. This was the first 'Clasico' in a decade which had no bearing on the title race but the game was still played with all the usual passion and tension which makes it the most famous club fixture in Europe. Referee Alejando Hernandez Hernandez showed a total of eight yellow cards as well as the straight red for Roberto. Bale was eventually booked as was the usually even-tempered Messi, who made an uncharacteristically aggressive challenge on Sergio Ramos after the Real captain had an ugly confrontation with Suarez which led to both players getting yellow cards. Suarez appeared to have fouled Raphael Varane in the build-up to Messi's goal and the Uruguayan forward had a goal ruled out for offside three minutes later. Both sides pushed for a winner and Real could have had a penalty when Jordi Alba caught Marcelo but Barca clung on to remain unbeaten in the league with three games to go. Barcelona's players remained on the pitch after the game to celebrate their double success with the home fans, having clinched the title last week at Deportivo La Coruna and won the King's Cup final against Sevilla on April 21. Real refused to offer the traditional guard of honour to the champions before the game so Barca defender Gerard Pique asked the Catalan club's coaching staff to form two lines either side of his team mates as they left the pitch.

El Clasico: Real Madrid, Barcelona tie ends in ill-tempered draw

Barcelona responded to their shock Champions League elimination to AS Roma by beating Valencia 2-1 on Saturday in a subdued atmosphere at the Nou Camp, setting a Liga record run of 39 games unbeaten and taking them ever closer to another title.

Luis Suarez gave Barca the lead after a quarter of an hour by meeting a delicious outside-of-the-foot pass from former Liverpool teammate Philippe Coutinho, scoring with one touch from close range.

Club-record signing Coutinho then delivered an outswinging corner from which Samuel Umtiti headed in Barca's second in the 51st minute, shortly after Gerard Pique had saved Umtiti's blushes by clearing a shot from Valencia forward Santi Mina off the line following a slip by the France defender.

Captain Dani Parejo pulled a goal back for third-placed Valencia by squeezing an 87th-minute penalty under Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, but the Catalans withstood an exciting final spell to move to within seven points of their 25th league title.

Ernesto Valverde's side lead nearest challengers Atletico Madrid by 14 points in the standings, with Atletico hosting Levante and fourth-placed Real visiting basement club Malaga on Sunday.

The Barca coach praised his players for putting the Roma defeat behind them but said their European exit had punctured their enthusiasm for the unbeaten record.

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? The boss and his players on Saturday's vital win in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bar%C3%A7aValencia?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BarçaValencia</a> <a href="https://t.co/macpxhIXaX">pic.twitter.com/macpxhIXaX</a>
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"This wasn’t a week to think about records, we don’t give it too much importance. It was more important that we picked ourselves up after a difficult week," Valverde told a news conference.

"It's normal that these players keep on breaking records. But it was a fundamental win in many ways. First of all, I am happy with the three points. We needed 10 points to win the league, now it’s seven."

With heavy rain falling in the city throughout the day, 30,000 seats at the 99,000-capacity Nou Camp were unoccupied and even when Suarez provided a slick finishing touch to Coutinho's wonderful pass, celebrations were muted.

Valencia had made a good start and winger Goncalo Guedes hammered an early shot at Ter Stegen, who made another impressive save to thwart the Portuguese later in the half after Gerard Pique had surrendered the ball.

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? <a href="https://twitter.com/LaLiga?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LaLiga</a> 
? Still unbeaten! <a href="https://t.co/aOdufHxMBr">pic.twitter.com/aOdufHxMBr</a>
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The German goalkeeper also ran himself into trouble as he sent a pass straight at the feet of Valencia forward Rodrigo but redeemed himself by tipping the shot on to the crossbar and behind.

Lionel Messi was inactive for much of the first half but grew into the game in the second, narrowly volleying over the bar and fizzing a shot just wide after tearing through the Valencia defence.

"The atmosphere around the club this week has been a bit gloomy and we needed to put the brakes on that so I have to congratulate the players because it’s not been easy," added Valverde.

"The sensation is that we have failed, that we have disappointed the supporters, but we have to look forward and not lose sight of what we can still achieve this season."

FC Barcelona has set a new LaLiga record of 39 games unbeaten and moved closer to clinch the title after defeating Valencia 2-1

Barcelona responded to their shock Champions League elimination to AS Roma by beating Valencia 2-1 on Saturday in a subdued atmosphere at the Nou Camp, setting a Liga record run of 39 games unbeaten and taking them ever closer to another title. Luis Suarez gave Barca the lead after a quarter of an hour by meeting a delicious outside-of-the-foot pass from former Liverpool teammate Philippe Coutinho, scoring with one touch from close range. Club-record signing Coutinho then delivered an outswinging corner from which Samuel Umtiti headed in Barca's second in the 51st minute, shortly after Gerard Pique had saved Umtiti's blushes by clearing a shot from Valencia forward Santi Mina off the line following a slip by the France defender. Captain Dani Parejo pulled a goal back for third-placed Valencia by squeezing an 87th-minute penalty under Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, but the Catalans withstood an exciting final spell to move to within seven points of their 25th league title. Ernesto Valverde's side lead nearest challengers Atletico Madrid by 14 points in the standings, with Atletico hosting Levante and fourth-placed Real visiting basement club Malaga on Sunday. The Barca coach praised his players for putting the Roma defeat behind them but said their European exit had punctured their enthusiasm for the unbeaten record. ? The boss and his players on Saturday's vital win in #BarçaValencia pic.twitter.com/macpxhIXaX — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) April 15, 2018 × "This wasn’t a week to think about records, we don’t give it too much importance. It was more important that we picked ourselves up after a difficult week," Valverde told a news conference. "It's normal that these players keep on breaking records. But it was a fundamental win in many ways. First of all, I am happy with the three points. We needed 10 points to win the league, now it’s seven." With heavy rain falling in the city throughout the day, 30,000 seats at the 99,000-capacity Nou Camp were unoccupied and even when Suarez provided a slick finishing touch to Coutinho's wonderful pass, celebrations were muted. Valencia had made a good start and winger Goncalo Guedes hammered an early shot at Ter Stegen, who made another impressive save to thwart the Portuguese later in the half after Gerard Pique had surrendered the ball. ? @LaLiga ? Still unbeaten! pic.twitter.com/aOdufHxMBr — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) April 14, 2018 × The German goalkeeper also ran himself into trouble as he sent a pass straight at the feet of Valencia forward Rodrigo but redeemed himself by tipping the shot on to the crossbar and behind. Lionel Messi was inactive for much of the first half but grew into the game in the second, narrowly volleying over the bar and fizzing a shot just wide after tearing through the Valencia defence. "The atmosphere around the club this week has been a bit gloomy and we needed to put the brakes on that so I have to congratulate the players because it’s not been easy," added Valverde. "The sensation is that we have failed, that we have disappointed the supporters, but we have to look forward and not lose sight of what we can still achieve this season."

Barcelona beat Valencia, set new LaLiga record of 39 games unbeaten

The first leg of Chelsea vs Barcelona is scheduled for February 21 at Stamford Bridge, London.

It is supposed to be one of the major clashes of Champions Leauge and fans and supporters of both sides have high expectations for their favourite team.

FC Barcelona and support staff have arrived in London and the training has started.

Meanwhile, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez meet former English footballer and current sports broadcaster, Gary Lineker ahead of Chelsea clash.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NewProfilePic?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NewProfilePic</a> for <a href="https://twitter.com/GaryLineker?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GaryLineker</a>! ???? <a href="https://t.co/89N6tpQ46B">pic.twitter.com/89N6tpQ46B</a>
&mdash; FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/965711583719538689?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Gary Lineker holds England&#39;s record for goals in FIFA World Cup finals with 10 goals.

Lineker began his football career at Leicester City in 1978. He then moved to League Champions Everton.

His first team honours came at Barcelona, where he won the Copa del Rey in 1988 and the European Cup Winners&#39; Cup in 1989.

He returned to England in 1989, joining Tottenham Hotspur, and over three seasons he scored 67 goals in 105 games and won the FA Cup.

&nbsp;

At Barcelona, Gary Lineker won the Copa del Rey in 1988 and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1989

The first leg of Chelsea vs Barcelona is scheduled for February 21 at Stamford Bridge, London. It is supposed to be one of the major clashes of Champions Leauge and fans and supporters of both sides have high expectations for their favourite team. FC Barcelona and support staff have arrived in London and the training has started. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez meet former English footballer and current sports broadcaster, Gary Lineker ahead of Chelsea clash. #NewProfilePic for @GaryLineker! ???? pic.twitter.com/89N6tpQ46B — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) February 19, 2018 × Gary Lineker holds England's record for goals in FIFA World Cup finals with 10 goals. Lineker began his football career at Leicester City in 1978. He then moved to League Champions Everton. His first team honours came at Barcelona, where he won the Copa del Rey in 1988 and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1989. He returned to England in 1989, joining Tottenham Hotspur, and over three seasons he scored 67 goals in 105 games and won the FA Cup.

Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez meet former Barca star Gary Lineker

Barca defeated&nbsp;Real Betis and bounced back from their first defeat for 29 games in the Copa del Rey to secure an excellent 5-0 win in their third away match in a week.

This means the Catalans extended their lead to 11 points -- and 19 ahead of Real Madrid -- as Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez both hit a brace in a 5-0 romp at&nbsp;Benito Villamarin stadium in Sevilla on January 21.

Messi thumped home the second from outside the box on 64 minutes before he and Rakitic teamed up to present Suarez with a volley on 69 minutes to effectively seal the three points.

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???? <a href="https://twitter.com/LaLigaEN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LaLigaEN</a> 
One more win....one less fixture 
???????? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/For%C3%A7aBar%C3%A7a?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#For&ccedil;aBar&ccedil;a</a> <a href="https://t.co/ESDY6v6UDS">pic.twitter.com/ESDY6v6UDS</a>
&mdash; FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/955199981358641152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Betis were making mistakes at the back and when Zouhair Feddal clumsily gave the ball away on halfway to Suarez, the Uruguayan sent Messi scampering away.

Faced with two defenders, Messi dummied to shoot, drifted past both and calmly slotted home past goalkeeper Antonio Adan.

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???????????? The best photos from the win over Betis ???? <a href="https://t.co/iNzbYP1lWO">https://t.co/iNzbYP1lWO</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BetisBar%C3%A7a?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BetisBar&ccedil;a</a> <a href="https://t.co/ooMiEgWqeM">pic.twitter.com/ooMiEgWqeM</a>
&mdash; FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/955262511762280448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2018</a></blockquote>
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There was still time for Suarez to complete his brace with a crisp finish after Messi had driven at the heart of an over-matched defence.

The only downside for the league leaders was a hamstring injury to Thomas Vermaelen in the first half that precipitated French centre-back Samuel Umtiti&#39;s own return from a hamstring problem.

&nbsp;

FC Barcelona defeated Real Betis and has extended the lead to 11 points

Barca defeated Real Betis and bounced back from their first defeat for 29 games in the Copa del Rey to secure an excellent 5-0 win in their third away match in a week. This means the Catalans extended their lead to 11 points -- and 19 ahead of Real Madrid -- as Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez both hit a brace in a 5-0 romp at Benito Villamarin stadium in Sevilla on January 21. Messi thumped home the second from outside the box on 64 minutes before he and Rakitic teamed up to present Suarez with a volley on 69 minutes to effectively seal the three points. ???? @LaLigaEN One more win....one less fixture ???????? #ForçaBarça pic.twitter.com/ESDY6v6UDS — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 21, 2018 × Betis were making mistakes at the back and when Zouhair Feddal clumsily gave the ball away on halfway to Suarez, the Uruguayan sent Messi scampering away. Faced with two defenders, Messi dummied to shoot, drifted past both and calmly slotted home past goalkeeper Antonio Adan. ???????????? The best photos from the win over Betis ???? https://t.co/iNzbYP1lWO #BetisBarça pic.twitter.com/ooMiEgWqeM — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 22, 2018 × There was still time for Suarez to complete his brace with a crisp finish after Messi had driven at the heart of an over-matched defence. The only downside for the league leaders was a hamstring injury to Thomas Vermaelen in the first half that precipitated French centre-back Samuel Umtiti's own return from a hamstring problem.

Messi and Suarez inspire FC Barcelona to sensational victory

FC Barcelona is pursuing their dream run as they have revived from a terrible season to sit on top of the Spanish league table and currently they appear to be on of the strongest squads.

They have entered the finals of Copa Del Rey and will play against Sevilla FC.

Recently, the club signed 25-year-old Philippe Coutinho one of the costliest winter transfer to build up their squad.

Phill marked his opener in the second leg of the semi-final of Copa Del Rey to give his team an unescapable lead against Valencia.

With Coutinho&#39;s arrival, Messi and team overcame a bitter experience of losing his Brazil teammate Neymar last summer to Qatar-backed Paris Saint-Germain for a world record 222 million euros to some extent.

But now another blow is likely to happen as Catalan striker Luis Suarez has made up his mind to move to Chelsea, this move will double his salary.

If reports were to believed Luis Suarez said to Messi, &quot;They double my salary.&quot;

Saurez and Messi are very close and they share an unbreakable bond on and off the field. If there is a player that Leo Messi does not want to lose sight is Luis Suarez.

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Who&#39;s getting ready for tonight&#39;s clash? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/barcavalencia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#barcavalencia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/messi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#messi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/suarez?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#suarez</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/goal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#goal</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CopaDelRey?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CopaDelRey</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FORCABARCA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FORCABARCA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LaLigaSantander?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LaLigaSantander</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kings?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kings</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SemiFinal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SemiFinal</a> <a href="https://t.co/4MLqHFNbw7">pic.twitter.com/4MLqHFNbw7</a>
&mdash; MySoccerHub (@MySoccerHub) <a href="https://twitter.com/MySoccerHub/status/961640816476377089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez look on during the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg match between FC Barcelona and Valencia CF at Camp Nou. <a href="https://t.co/mnwt9Pm6RC">pic.twitter.com/mnwt9Pm6RC</a>
&mdash; Leo Messi ???? (@WeAreMessi) <a href="https://twitter.com/WeAreMessi/status/959286770905972738?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Messi and Suarez <a href="https://t.co/g8WiPLoQJS">pic.twitter.com/g8WiPLoQJS</a>
&mdash; ????????&zwj;♀️????&hearts;️ (@forca_fcb) <a href="https://twitter.com/forca_fcb/status/959823590203052032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Currently, the Stamford Bridge club is having a bad season under Antonio Conte. Although, they won Premier League last year but this season they have not been able to collect as a team.

As reported by diarioGOL a Spanish sports related website, Conte&#39;s future is not certain at the club and there are rumours that Former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique might take over his place and if so happens then Enrique will raise his bid for Suarez to sign him this summer.

Camp Nou is concentrating on new signings and recently Coutinho and Yerry Mina were included in the squad but Suarez&#39;s departure will definitely impact the club negatively.

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???? | Luis Suarez&#39;s goal against Alaves made him only the fifth player in La Liga history to score in 8 consecutive La Liga games! 
 
Messi was the last player in La Liga to achieve this feat, back in 2012. 
 
El Pistolero! <a href="https://t.co/bISkmvM7ad">pic.twitter.com/bISkmvM7ad</a>
&mdash; FC Barcelona (@BarcaUniversal) <a href="https://twitter.com/BarcaUniversal/status/958610804139483136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Luis Suarez has made up his mind to move to Chelsea, this move will double his salary though but will impact Camp Nou negatively

FC Barcelona is pursuing their dream run as they have revived from a terrible season to sit on top of the Spanish league table and currently they appear to be on of the strongest squads. They have entered the finals of Copa Del Rey and will play against Sevilla FC. Recently, the club signed 25-year-old Philippe Coutinho one of the costliest winter transfer to build up their squad. Phill marked his opener in the second leg of the semi-final of Copa Del Rey to give his team an unescapable lead against Valencia. With Coutinho's arrival, Messi and team overcame a bitter experience of losing his Brazil teammate Neymar last summer to Qatar-backed Paris Saint-Germain for a world record 222 million euros to some extent. But now another blow is likely to happen as Catalan striker Luis Suarez has made up his mind to move to Chelsea, this move will double his salary. If reports were to believed Luis Suarez said to Messi, "They double my salary." Saurez and Messi are very close and they share an unbreakable bond on and off the field. If there is a player that Leo Messi does not want to lose sight is Luis Suarez. Who's getting ready for tonight's clash? #barcavalencia #messi #suarez #goal #CopaDelRey #FORCABARCA #LaLigaSantander #kings #SemiFinal pic.twitter.com/4MLqHFNbw7 — MySoccerHub (@MySoccerHub) February 8, 2018 × Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez look on during the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg match between FC Barcelona and Valencia CF at Camp Nou. pic.twitter.com/mnwt9Pm6RC — Leo Messi ???? (@WeAreMessi) February 2, 2018 × Messi and Suarez pic.twitter.com/g8WiPLoQJS — ????????‍♀️????♥️ (@forca_fcb) February 3, 2018 × Currently, the Stamford Bridge club is having a bad season under Antonio Conte. Although, they won Premier League last year but this season they have not been able to collect as a team. As reported by diarioGOL a Spanish sports related website, Conte's future is not certain at the club and there are rumours that Former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique might take over his place and if so happens then Enrique will raise his bid for Suarez to sign him this summer. Camp Nou is concentrating on new signings and recently Coutinho and Yerry Mina were included in the squad but Suarez's departure will definitely impact the club negatively. ???? | Luis Suarez's goal against Alaves made him only the fifth player in La Liga history to score in 8 consecutive La Liga games! Messi was the last player in La Liga to achieve this feat, back in 2012. El Pistolero! pic.twitter.com/bISkmvM7ad — FC Barcelona (@BarcaUniversal) January 31, 2018 ×

Messi's best buddy might leave Barca in summers

Luis Suarez booked Barcelona&#39;s place in a fourth consecutive Copa del Rey final but was sent off as a bad-tempered 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid on Tuesday secured a 3-2 aggregate win.

Suarez&#39;s second goal of the tie looked to have put the semi-final beyond the visitors just before half-time.

However, the Uruguayan was one of three players sent-off in a pulsating second-half and will miss May&#39;s final against Alaves or Celta Vigo.

Kevin Gameiro set up a grandstand finish seven minutes from time moments after blazing a penalty over the bar.

But Barca saw out five minutes of stoppage time with nine men after Suarez&#39;s first red card for the club.

Atletico needed a first win at the Camp Nou since 2006 to have any chance of overturning a 2-1 first leg deficit inflicted by stunning goals from Suarez and Lionel Messi.

Yet, the visitors nearly secured the perfect start with a lightning counter-attack from a Barca corner that ended with Yannick Carrasco stinging the palms of Jasper Cillessen.

The Dutch goalkeeper also saved a long range effort from Koke before Filipe Luis&#39;s volley flew just wide.

Barca took 27 minutes to have an effort on goal when Messi&#39;s low drive was held by Miguel Angel Moya.

However, Atletico&#39;s intense early pressing eased as the half wore on and Barca went in front just before half-time thanks to more magic from Messi and Suarez.

Messi sucked in the Atletico defence and when his effort from the edge of the area was parried by Moya, Suarez gobbled up the rebound for his 23rd goal of the season.

Atletico were dealt an injury blow at the start of the second period as Diego Godin had to be replaced by Lucas Hernandez just five days after the French defender was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence.

However, the visitors were given a glimmer of hope just before the hour mark when Sergi Roberto dived in on Luis and was deservedly shown a second yellow card.

That hope should have been bolstered moments later when Antoine Griezmann smashed the ball inside Cillessen&#39;s far post, but was wrongly flagged offside.

Barca&#39;s nerves were eased when Atletico were also reduced to 10 men 21 minutes from time when a slip from Carrasco saw him wipe out Arda Turan, the Belgian also being shown a second yellow card.

Messi&#39;s incredible run of scoring free-kicks in 2017 nearly continued with a driven effort from fully 35 yards that came crashing back off the bar.

Atletico were given a lifeline when Gerard Pique was adjudged to have tripped Gameiro inside the area with 10 minutes remaining.

Griezmann had missed his fifth penalty in seven attempts at the weekend and handed over responsiblity to his compatriot, but Gameiro blazed over.

Just three minutes later, though, the two combined to great effect as Griezmann&#39;s decision to cross rather than shoot caught the Barca defence off guard and Gameiro rolled into an empty net.

Atletico then pilled on the pressure in search of a winning goal on the night to send the game into extra time.

Suarez was the thrid player to be shown a second yellow for a stray elbow on Koke.

But a great block from Samuel Umtiti to divert Luis&#39;s goalbound drive preserved Barca&#39;s incredible record of not having lost a tie to anyone other than Real Madrid in the Cup sine 2010.

(AFP)

Barcelona's Luis Suarez brandished his Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde self as he scored one and got sent off in an ill-tempered match

Luis Suarez booked Barcelona's place in a fourth consecutive Copa del Rey final but was sent off as a bad-tempered 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid on Tuesday secured a 3-2 aggregate win. Suarez's second goal of the tie looked to have put the semi-final beyond the visitors just before half-time. However, the Uruguayan was one of three players sent-off in a pulsating second-half and will miss May's final against Alaves or Celta Vigo. Kevin Gameiro set up a grandstand finish seven minutes from time moments after blazing a penalty over the bar. But Barca saw out five minutes of stoppage time with nine men after Suarez's first red card for the club. Atletico needed a first win at the Camp Nou since 2006 to have any chance of overturning a 2-1 first leg deficit inflicted by stunning goals from Suarez and Lionel Messi. Yet, the visitors nearly secured the perfect start with a lightning counter-attack from a Barca corner that ended with Yannick Carrasco stinging the palms of Jasper Cillessen. The Dutch goalkeeper also saved a long range effort from Koke before Filipe Luis's volley flew just wide. Barca took 27 minutes to have an effort on goal when Messi's low drive was held by Miguel Angel Moya. However, Atletico's intense early pressing eased as the half wore on and Barca went in front just before half-time thanks to more magic from Messi and Suarez. Messi sucked in the Atletico defence and when his effort from the edge of the area was parried by Moya, Suarez gobbled up the rebound for his 23rd goal of the season. Atletico were dealt an injury blow at the start of the second period as Diego Godin had to be replaced by Lucas Hernandez just five days after the French defender was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence. However, the visitors were given a glimmer of hope just before the hour mark when Sergi Roberto dived in on Luis and was deservedly shown a second yellow card. That hope should have been bolstered moments later when Antoine Griezmann smashed the ball inside Cillessen's far post, but was wrongly flagged offside. Barca's nerves were eased when Atletico were also reduced to 10 men 21 minutes from time when a slip from Carrasco saw him wipe out Arda Turan, the Belgian also being shown a second yellow card. Messi's incredible run of scoring free-kicks in 2017 nearly continued with a driven effort from fully 35 yards that came crashing back off the bar. Atletico were given a lifeline when Gerard Pique was adjudged to have tripped Gameiro inside the area with 10 minutes remaining. Griezmann had missed his fifth penalty in seven attempts at the weekend and handed over responsiblity to his compatriot, but Gameiro blazed over. Just three minutes later, though, the two combined to great effect as Griezmann's decision to cross rather than shoot caught the Barca defence off guard and Gameiro rolled into an empty net. Atletico then pilled on the pressure in search of a winning goal on the night to send the game into extra time. Suarez was the thrid player to be shown a second yellow for a stray elbow on Koke. But a great block from Samuel Umtiti to divert Luis's goalbound drive preserved Barca's incredible record of not having lost a tie to anyone other than Real Madrid in the Cup sine 2010. (AFP)

Copa del Rey: Barcelona through to final after beating Atletico Madrid

Prolific striker Luis Suarez has agreed a new contract with Barcelona until 2021, the Spanish champions announced on Thursday.

The Uruguay international will sign the new deal, which will keep him at the club until he is 34 years old and contains a release clause of 200 million euros ($207 million), on Friday.

Suarez has scored 97 goals in 116 games for Barcelona since signing from Liverpool in 2014 for a reported 81 million euros ($84 million), and has collected eight major trophies.

He netted 40 times in the league last season, making him top scorer in Spain and landing him the European Golden Shoe award for the top marksman in Europe&#39;s top five leagues.

&quot;I feel complete happiness because I am where I want to be,&quot; Suarez said on Thursday.

&quot;It&#39;s now official. I never put any obstacles in the way of a renewal. I will never lose my ambition and enthusiasm for winning trophies and scoring goals.&quot;

Suarez&#39;s contract renewal comes two months after strike partner Neymar penned a new deal with Barcelona, meaning talisman Lionel Messi is the only member of the feted &quot;MSN&quot; attacking trident who has yet to sign a new contract with the club.

Suarez said he hoped Messi, whose current deal expires in 2018, would follow his lead, although he said the Argentine would make his decision on his own terms.

&quot;My renewal has nothing to do with Neymar or Messi&#39;s. Leo is a legend and he knows what he has to do and decide,&quot; added Suarez.

&quot;As a team mate, I am available to help him out but Leo is old enough to decide for himself. We are friends and we have a great relationship, but he is an adult and he has to take that decision.&quot;

(Reuters)

The agreement will keep him at the club till he is 34

Prolific striker Luis Suarez has agreed a new contract with Barcelona until 2021, the Spanish champions announced on Thursday. The Uruguay international will sign the new deal, which will keep him at the club until he is 34 years old and contains a release clause of 200 million euros ($207 million), on Friday. Suarez has scored 97 goals in 116 games for Barcelona since signing from Liverpool in 2014 for a reported 81 million euros ($84 million), and has collected eight major trophies. He netted 40 times in the league last season, making him top scorer in Spain and landing him the European Golden Shoe award for the top marksman in Europe's top five leagues. "I feel complete happiness because I am where I want to be," Suarez said on Thursday. "It's now official. I never put any obstacles in the way of a renewal. I will never lose my ambition and enthusiasm for winning trophies and scoring goals." Suarez's contract renewal comes two months after strike partner Neymar penned a new deal with Barcelona, meaning talisman Lionel Messi is the only member of the feted "MSN" attacking trident who has yet to sign a new contract with the club. Suarez said he hoped Messi, whose current deal expires in 2018, would follow his lead, although he said the Argentine would make his decision on his own terms. "My renewal has nothing to do with Neymar or Messi's. Leo is a legend and he knows what he has to do and decide," added Suarez. "As a team mate, I am available to help him out but Leo is old enough to decide for himself. We are friends and we have a great relationship, but he is an adult and he has to take that decision." (Reuters)

Football: Suarez agrees new contract with Barcelona to 2021

Valencia were fined and warned on Wednesday after a section of fans pelted celebrating Barcelona players with a bottle, but the Spanish champions were also criticised for their conduct.

Luis Suarez and Neymar were hit by a plastic bottle thrown by the Valencia fans as Barca celebrated a last-gasp 3-2 win at Mestalla on Saturday in what had been a bad-tempered La Liga encounter.

A disciplinary committee of the Spanish Football Federation fined the home side 1,500 euros ($1,600) and said a repeat could result in a stadium closure.

But it also had harsh words for Barcelona, accusing some of their players, without giving names, of &quot;reproachable behaviour&quot; as they celebrated close to the touchline.

However, the Federation stressed that &quot;nothing, absolutely nothing justifies a violent public reaction&quot;.

In response, Barcelona issued a statement calling the criticism of their players &quot;totally reproachable&quot;.

&quot;The committee should have confined itself to analysing the facts and apply the existing rules,&quot; the Catalan club said.

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique had said in the immediate aftermath of the incident: &quot;We celebrated as it is normal to celebrate a last-minute winner.&quot;

(AFP) 
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A disciplinary committee fined Valencia after their fans hit Barca's Suarez and Neymar in their La Liga encounter on Saturday

Valencia were fined and warned on Wednesday after a section of fans pelted celebrating Barcelona players with a bottle, but the Spanish champions were also criticised for their conduct. Luis Suarez and Neymar were hit by a plastic bottle thrown by the Valencia fans as Barca celebrated a last-gasp 3-2 win at Mestalla on Saturday in what had been a bad-tempered La Liga encounter. A disciplinary committee of the Spanish Football Federation fined the home side 1,500 euros ($1,600) and said a repeat could result in a stadium closure. But it also had harsh words for Barcelona, accusing some of their players, without giving names, of "reproachable behaviour" as they celebrated close to the touchline. However, the Federation stressed that "nothing, absolutely nothing justifies a violent public reaction". In response, Barcelona issued a statement calling the criticism of their players "totally reproachable". "The committee should have confined itself to analysing the facts and apply the existing rules," the Catalan club said. Barcelona coach Luis Enrique had said in the immediate aftermath of the incident: "We celebrated as it is normal to celebrate a last-minute winner." (AFP)

Football: Valencia fined, Barcelona censured for bottle incident

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