Sporting de Gijon 0 - 5 Barcelona: Barcelona make light of Messi absence to thrash Sporting Gijon
Posted Sunday, September 25, 2016 by PA
Barcelona began their run of matches without Argentinian maestro Lionel Messi in victorious fashion as Luis Enrique's men secured a 5-0 win over Sporting Gijon at El Molinon.
An adductor injury is expected to sideline Messi for around three weeks but Barca got the job done without him against Sporting, the club with whom coach Luis Enrique began his playing career.
The other two-thirds of the 'MSN' strike force, Luis Suarez and Neymar, played their part in covering for the absence of Messi with three goals between them.
Suarez got the ball rolling just before the half-hour and Rafinha headed in a second to put the Catalan giants in control.
Alberto Lora's dismissal in the 74th minute made it an uphill struggle for the hosts, with Neymar grabbing his first goal in the 82nd minute and Arda Turan's header making it four two minutes later.
The final word came from Neymar with two minutes to go as Barcelona returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion after the draw with Atletico Madrid in midweek.
Neymar was the first to test Sporting goalkeeper Ivan Cuellar with a 13th-minute overhead kick before a moment of controversy.
Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen caught the ball and advanced marginally outside his area. The visiting players protested but a free-kick was awarded, although frustratingly for Abelardo Fernandez's side they could do nothing meaningful with the set-piece.
Andre Gomes rifled a shot over the top for the visitors in the 27th minute but two minutes later Barca had their opener, Suarez racing onto a long ball over the Sporting defence, rounding Cuellar and tucking the ball into the empty net.
The lead was doubled in the 32nd minute as Sergi Roberto broke clear down the right and his cross was met with a diving header by Rafinha at the near post.
The first opportunity of the second period went Sporting's way as Victor Fernandez drew a near-post save from Ter Stegen in the 56th minute, although Lillo was lucky not to be sent off soon afterwards for an elbow to the face of Turan.
Jeremy Mathieu, who scored in Barca's home defeat to Alaves a fortnight ago, had an effort ruled out on the hour after Gerard Pique had strayed offside.
Suarez was replaced by Paco Alcacer with 20 minutes to go and Sporting were reduced to 10 men when Lora fouled Roberto and was shown a second yellow card.
The game was put beyond any doubt at all in the 82nd minute when Neymar poked home a rebound after Alcacer's spectacular effort had been tipped onto the crossbar by Cuellar.
Roberto had been the supply line for the third goal and grabbed another assist two minutes later when his cross was headed home by Turan.
Neymar had his second and Barca's third in six minutes when he raced clear on to Denis Suarez's through-ball and fired a low shot past Cuellar.
He almost completed a stunning hat-trick in injury time, but his curling effort struck the upright.
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