The Uruguayan was on form as Barca regained top spot in La Liga
Barcelona restored themselves to the top of La Liga with a 6-0 win over Sporting Gijón.
On a day where title rivals Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid both won, it was crucial for the Nou Camp club to confirm they were truly out of their slump.
1-0 up at half-time thanks to Lionel Messi's header, they went wild with five second-half goals to put Sporting to bed.
While they benefited from some questionable refereeing, including a disgracefully-bad penalty decision that also resulted in the dismissal of Ognjen Vranjes, Luis Suarez scored four goals in an impressively clinical showing.
Neymar also tucked away a late penalty, Barca's third of the game.
1. Sergi Roberto gets another big chance
With no more continental football for Barcelona this season, Luis Enrique can simply pick his strongest team for every league game.
However, he left Dani Alves on the bench amid rumours that the Barca boss was unhappy with some of his right-back's social media exploits.
Sergi Roberto, whose stock has risen more than any other Barcelona player this season, got the nod but only lasted until half-time due to discomfort in his ankle.
Of course, the big story here was another right-back. Aleix Vidal didn't make the bench in what is turning out to be an incredibly disappointing first season in red and blue.
2. Messi uses his head in excellent return to form
Lionel Messi spent 99% of this game dazzling us with his feet but his most crucial intervention came with his head.
After Pichu Cuellar overcommitted himself to punch clear a ball, the Sporting keeper was left stranded and Messi measured a headed lob that plonked nicely in the net.
This game marked a return to Messi's brilliant best, with the Argentine threading sublime passes, dribbling at will past opponents and creating space for his teammates.
It was everything we've come to expect from the best player on the planet, even if it didn't come with the glut of goals that his performances sometimes do.
3. Neymar continues to disappoint
It feels harsh to criticise Neymar's form when he looks so obviously tired. Luis Enrique, who refuses to rest the Brazilian superstar, is surely as much to blame but appears to be from the school of thought that he'll play himself back into form.
More likely is that he'll rest his way back into it by missing the Copa America , allowing him to star in the Olympics on home soil.
As well as Barcelona's hectic schedule - an unfortunate side-effect of being so good - Neymar has played in a major tournament for each of the last three summers. Despite being only 24, this is a player that still needs physical rest like any sportsman and his performances are undoubtedly suffering.
However, in a week that saw Barcelona fans vote in favour of selling him , it was encouraging to see, or rather hear, the Nou Camp crowd sing his name moments after he missed a simple chance laid on for him by Lionel Messi.
A late penalty handed to him by Luis Suarez felt like pity. The fact that he at least scored it will be a boost, though, in a game where it felt like nothing was going right for the Brazilian.
4. Sporting only have themselves to blame
Sporting will lament this loss not just because it leaves them in the drop zone, staring at the trapdoor to the Liga Adelante, but because they could have got something out of it.
Alex Menendez should have given his side the lead but missed a sitter on ten minutes. 120 seconds later, his side trailed.
Then on the cusp of half-time, Sporting contrived to miss two sensational chances to level things.
Granted, Javier Mascherano and Gerard Pique both made exceptional blocks on the line to prevent the Asturians from doing so, but when you're in desperate need of points you can't afford to miss such open chances.
Indeed, usually it's why you're down there in the first place.
And they paid the price in a big way in the second half.
5. One day, three leaders... thanks to Suarez
So Barcelona begun the day at the top of La Liga.
Then Real Madrid were top.
Then Atleti.
And now Barcelona are back on top, with Lionel Messi's goal crucial in breaking the deadlock but Luis Suarez's four-goal haul vital in killing the game off.
Indeed, this wasn't a vintage Suarez performance - two of his goals were penalties, after all, and the other was offside - but he's now smashed through the 50-goal barrier for the season and has proven himself as one of, if not the best centre-forwards in the world.
Player ratings: Barcelona 6-0 Sporting – superb Suarez bags another four goals
Barcelona retook their spot at the top of La Liga after trouncing Sporting Gijón 6-0 in a game where two members of M-S-N were spectacular.
The match started with Sporting missing a superb chance but then Barcelona took the lead with a wonderful Messi header. As they have all year, the Blaugrana then lowered their intensity to manage the massive fatigue in their muscles and the rest of the half was a cagey affair capped by two huge misses from Neymar.
The first 15 minutes of the second half followed that same pattern, until a wonderful move between Messi and Iniesta saw Suárez tap in the second from close range. Two penalties in three minutes, both dispatched by Suárez, took the game well away from Sporting. Neymar added a fifth from the spot before Suárez capped the night with a sublime finish from a wonderful Messi pass.
Sporting Gijón:
Ivan Cuéllar – 4/10
Terrible flap for Barcelona’s first goal, good save from Neymar on the hour mark but failed to keep out a weak penalty from the Brazilian.
Ognjen Vranješ – 3/10
Battered Neymar early on with several hard fouls. Picked up a booking for a cynical foul and was sent off late on after conceding a stupid penalty.
Luis Hérnandez – 7/10
Led from the back for Sporting, dominated Luis Suárez from open play. Made three interceptions, one block and a massive eight clearances. Was constantly in the right place to thwart the Blaugrana. Let down by his team-mates.
Igor Lichnovsky – 5/10
Protected his space well enough but didn’t really do enough to impact Barcelona.
Isma López – 7/10
Blocked off his flank well, wasn’t as exposed as Vranjes. Made two interceptions, four clearances, and created absolute havoc in the Barcelona box with a superb cross just before half-time. Subbed on 69 minutes.
Omar Mascarell – 6/10
Worked hard, throwing himself into tackles all over the pitch in an effort to pressurise the Barcelona midfielders but couldn’t get close to them. Made just 2/9 tackles he attempted and failed to adequately protect his defence.
Rachid Aït-Atmane – 4/10
Afforded Barcelona far too much space ahead of the Sporting defence in the first half, tightened up in the second period but still played too deep, allowing Messi to build up a head of steam in attack.
Pablo Pérez – 7/10
Worked hard up and down the right flank. Made 3/3 tackles and repeatedly attacked Alba and Mascherano in the air. Was taken off, exhausted, just after the hour mark.
Alen Halilović – 5/10
Quiet. Rarely saw the ball attack and on the defensive end he didn’t press Busquets anywhere near enough.
Álex Ménendez – 3/10
Shocking miss when played in by Guerrero. Failed to test Claudio Bravo even a little bit. Worked hard otherwise but had he taken that chance he could have changed the face of the game.
Miguel Ángel Guerrero – 6/10
Excellent run and pass for Ménendez early on, worked dutilify all night, moving well into space.
Antonio Sanabria – 3/10
Came on after 62 minutes. Conceded a penalty in the 76th minute with arguably his first contribution to the match.
Roberto Canella – 3/10
Came on after 65 minutes. Conceded a penalty with his first action on the pitch.
Carlos Castro – n/a
Came on for Guerrero after 74 minutes.
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