Massacre in Cordoba, 8-0

Lionel Messi scored his 40th league goal of the season and Luis Suarez grabbed his first Barcelona hat-trick as the league leaders won 8-0 to stay clear at the top with just three games left to play.

Ivan Rakitic, Gerard Pique and Neymar also scored as Barcelona breezed past Cordoba in the sweltering heat on Saturday.

Messi has now scored 51 goals in all competitions this season breaking the half-century mark for the fourth time in his career. In the 2010-11 season he scored 53 goals. He got 73 the following season and in the 2012-13 campaign he scored 60. He could have got a third but handed Neymar the ball for the Brazilian to score a late penalty.

It was six years to the day that Barcelona had beaten Real Madrid 6-2 in the Santiago Bernabeu in one of their most famous victories. This was a fitting tribute to that result. 

The omens were not all good for Barca going into the game. Back in the 1971-72 season they had blown the league in the penultimate week of the season by losing 1-0 at Cordoba. But they made sure history did not repeat itself.

In the 32 degree heat they created chances from the start. In just two minutes Andres Iniesta linked with Suarez and Neymar but the Brazilian fired his shot over the bar. 

On four minutes another chance was wasted when Dani Alves combined with Neymar but Messi could not get his shot away.

Cordoba were defending well and threatening on the break with Florin Andone heading Edimar’s cross over. But at the other end Barcelona were getting closer to breaking the deadlock.

Messi dribbled around three Cordoba players after receiving the ball just inside the area from Javier Mascherano but his shot lacked the power to beat Juan Carlos in the Cordoba goal.

Suarez then laid the ball off to Iniesta and from the perfect position his weak, poorly directed shot was blocked for a corner. 

With Barcelona’s first attack after the break Messi headed in Alves’ cross from the right. And with their second attack Suarez glanced a header into the far corner from another centre from the Brazilian full-back.

Neymar completed a hat-trick of misses when he shot well wide of the target from Suarez’ cross but by now Cordoba’s defence had switched off and only Pique jumped in the area to power Rakitic’ corner home for 5-0 and 102 goals in La Liga.

Goal 103 came when Messi poked in from close range after the referee allowed play to continue after Suarez had been bundled over in the area. Messi got to the ball just ahead of Neymar to finish but made it up to him when he let him take the next penalty after the Brazilian had been brought down.

Suarez swept in a rebound after a Xavi shot from distance had been blocked and that made if 105 league goals.

The former Liverpool striker took home the match ball safe in the knowledge that with three more wins he will get his hands on a league winners medal this season. 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3065438/Cordoba-0-8-Barcelona-Luis-Suarez-Lionel-Messi-Neymar-target-Catalans-run-riot-five-points-clear-title-rivals-Real-Madrid.html#ixzz3Z7E2VQNP
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Atletico Madrid wins again 4-2 versus Cordoba

Atletico Madrid stay in La Liga top three with win over Cordoba 

Antoine Griezmann scored twice and Koke had a hand in three goals asAtletico Madrid cruised to a 4-2 win against Cordoba. Griezmann put Atletico ahead just before the break but Nabil Ghilas grabbed the first of his two goals to level things up shortly after the interval. Griezmann's second restored the home side's lead and further goals from Mario Mandzukic and Raul Garcia put the result beyond doubt before Ghilas scored his second. 

Atletico started on the front foot and Arda Turan dragged a shot wide before Koke hit the bar from outside the area. Guilherme Siqueira, Gabi and Turan then all brought saves from Juan Carlos before Atletico took the lead a minute before the break as Griezmann netted his first La Liga goal. 

 Koke delivered a free-kick from the left touchline and Aleksandar Pantic's headed clearance only went as far as the Frenchman, who brought the ball under control brilliantly with his right foot and fired home with his left courtesy of a huge deflection. The equalizer also came from a set-piece as the visitors leveled things up in the 54th minute. Fidel whipped in a corner and Ghilas was left completely unmarked at the back post to head home. 

Cordoba were level for just four minutes, though, as Griezmann scored his second. Some good work down the right resulted in Juanfran supplying a cross and Griezmann was on hand to head past Juan Carlos, who got a hand to the ball but could not keep it out. 

And just four minutes later it was 3-1 with a Koke free-kick again doing the damage. The Spain international delivered from the left and when Juan Carlos came to punch and missed, Mandzukic hardly had to jump to head into the empty net. 

The champions dominated proceedings for the remainder of the half and it was no surprise when the fourth goal arrived nine minutes from time. Koke was again the provider as he crossed from the left and Raul Garcia met the ball with a glancing near-post header which flashed across the face of goal and in. 

 Ghilas grabbed his second in the 87th minute when he capitalized on a poor clearance by Juanfran to hammer home but it proved no more than a consolation.