Barcelona humiliate Real Madrid in Spanish league

FC Barcelona produced a vintage display of football to utterly humiliate bitter rivals Real Madrid in front of their own fans Saturday evening.

   Luis Suarez (2), Neymar and Andres Iniesta scored the goals, while other players such as Sergi Roberto and Sergio Busquets produced exceptional displays as Barca outplayed Madrid in all areas of the pitch to open up a six point lead at the top of the table and leave Madrid coach Rafa Bentiez severely questioned.

   The game took place under the umbrella of an unprecedented security operation in the wake of last week's Paris massacre and with fans having to pass through three different security checks.

   However, once referee Fernandez Borbalan blew the whistle to kick off, all of the attention was focused on the pitch.

   Benitez produced a minor surprise by naming Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo and a fit again Karim Benzema in his starting 11, while Luis Enrique decided not to risk Leo Messi, who began the game on the bench.

   Messi or not, Barca kicked off showing they meant business with Sergi Roberto having a half chance in the first move of the match, but Barca only had to wait 11 minutes before taking the lead as the youngster led a break before ceding the ball to Suarez to score with the outside of his foot.

   It was all Barca with Neymar seeing a free kick saved and Sergi Roberto firing over when well placed as Barca dominated totally and not even a groin injury to Javier Mascherano stopped their flow.

   Neymar doubled their lead after 38 minutes following an exchange of passes with Suarez and had it not been for Marcelo's block on the goal line Suarez would have made it 3-0 with the last kick of the half.

   It was down to Iniesta to net Barca's third goal shortly after the break, smashing a powerful shot past Keylor Navas following a wonderful backheel from Neymar.

   Benitez reacted by bringing on Isco and Dani Carvajal, while Barca brought on Messi, who is probably not the player you want to see when you are 3-0 down.

   Claudio Bravo produced a magnificent save to deny Ronaldo, before another magnificent move saw Suarez close in on Navas before scoring Barca's fourth with a delicate chip into the far corner.

   All that was left to round off a dreadful night for Madrid was for Isco to be sent off for a brutal kick at Neymar; the sort of foul you commit fruit of the frustration of knowing you have been second best.  Endi