Somehow, despite a 14-0 scoreline across their last two Liga games, I remain unconvinced by Barcelona. They may very well go on to win the league by winning their last three games after this one, but there's an element of magic in their play that has waned.
88'
L. Suárez has scored a goal for Barcelona! Assist by L. Messi.
Another Messi assist as he slides a terrific pass into the striker.
SUAREZ WITH A LOVELY FINISH! The Uruguayan scores four goals for the second time in three days as he arrives at the back post to bend in a neat finish off the woodwork!
85'
A. Halilović gets yellow.
Penalty goal scored by Neymar for Barcelona!
NEYMAR CONVERTS IT! The Brazilian gets his confidence boost with a goal from the penalty spot, but it was very nearly saved by Cuellar, who got a touch!
84'
O. Vranješ gets a second yellow card and is sent off.
The second yellow card is out for Vranjes and he's done.
Halilovic is booked for protesting the penalty.
83'
BARCELONA HAVE YET ANOTHER PENALTY! This time, I'm afraid that the referee has gifted the hosts a spot-kick. Vranjes did have his hand on Neymar's shoulder, but applied almost no force when they both went up for a header.
81'
Not a whole lot happening here as Barcelona continue to dominate the ball, which has left Sporting chasing shadows. Is there to be another goal here? How close can Barca get to repeating the 8-0?
79'
Another impressive result for Barcelona. They had their struggles in the first half, but really came out a different team after the break, playing closer to their potential and putting Sporting to the sword.
77'
Penalty goal scored by L. Suárez for Barcelona!
SMASHED DOWN THE MIDDLE! Suarez completes his hat-trick with a confident penalty that sends Cuellar out of the way again. Seven goals in three days now for him.
76'
ANOTHER BARCELONA PENALTY! Sanabria was back defending against Neymar, and appeared to shove him to the turf. However, it wasn't the toughest of contact, and Neymar did fall easily.
75'
Carlos Castro enters the game and replaces Miguel Guerrero.
A. Turan enters the game and replaces I. Rakitić.
Carlos Castro is also introduced for Guerrero.
Rakitic is withdrawn for Arda.
Minute
Description
74'
Penalty goal scored by L. Suárez for Barcelona!
NO MISTAKE FROM SUAREZ! The striker calmly dinks it into the pack of the net for his second goal. Cuellar dives the wrong way. Any little hope for Sporting has surely gone now.
73'
Oh dear. Canella goes from good to goat in a second, committing a careless handball, which the referee can't help but signal. Barcelona have a spot-kick and a chance for a third goal now.
72'
Neymar and Messi link up excellently to carve the opposition apart, leading to a shot from the Argentine which is narrowly cleared off the line by the newly arrived Canella! Good play all around!
71'
Luis Hernández gets yellow.
Neymar is tugged back by Hernandez, who gets booked.
70'
Isma Lopez departs for Canella in another Sporting sub.
69'
Canella enters the game and replaces Isma López.
68'
It's all Barcelona at the moment, as that second goal seems to have knocked the stuffing out of Gijon. They're prowling around the penalty area hunting for a third goal. Is it a matter of time?
66'
Marc Bartra enters the game and replaces Piqué.
Pique departs for Bartra in the second Barca change.
65'
Suspicions of offside on Suarez there, and Sporting may have reason to complain. However, that doesn't excuse Isma Lopez, who was woefully behind the development of that play, allowing Suarez all the space he needed.
63'
L. Suárez has scored a goal for Barcelona! Assist by Andrés Iniesta.
Normally it's Messi running onto through balls from Iniesta, not the other way around!
SUAREZ MAKES IT 2-0! Messi starts the move by feeding the sprinting Iniesta down the left-hand side, and he squares to the back post, where the former Liverpool man arrives to convert.
62'
A. Sanabria enters the game and replaces Pablo Pérez.
Not good enough from Neymar, who has the ball on his right foot and in a favourable position to bend it into the far corner. However, he delays his shot for too long and Cuellar can block it.
Sanabria is on for Perez in the first change for Sporting.
60'
A cross comes in from Alves, and Cuellar commits to it but misses. It flies out to Alba on the far side, and he attempts to lash it into an unguarded goal, but it hits the face of a defender instead.
58'
Messi again gets a bit of a head of steam down the right-hand side. He cuts back inside the first defender, but he's challenged before he can beat the second. Sporting have to dig deep now.
56'
NARROWLY WIDE! Messi glides through the defence, and leaves three players trailing in his wake en route to the area. He unleashes a powerful shot, but it's the wrong side of the post!
54'
Barcelona bide their time at the top of the box and eventually, it breaks for Iniesta, who hammers over for the second time in this game. Signs that the Catalans are starting to turn it up here.
52'
OFF THE MARK! Neymar starts a great attack with a run down the left-hand side, and he lays it off for Messi, who in turn sells Suarez a little short with another pass. The Uruguayan tries to scoop it into the far corner, but it's not troubling the keeper.
50'
The next goal in this game will be crucial. Should Barcelona get it, then it would be hard to see Sporting getting back in this. However, the visitors will have all the momentum if they get a leveller.
48'
In something of a repeat of the opening goal, Suarez collides with Cuellar, and Messi then sends the ball into the back of the net. However, this time the Uruguayan did commit a foul, and it's ruled out.
46'
Dani Alves enters the game and replaces Sergi Roberto.
Dani Alves is on for Sergi Roberto after half time.
Here we go again!
45' +1
LATE CHANCE FOR SPORTING! A ball at the back post is scrambled towards goal, with Mascherano and Pique just about getting rid of the danger! A late flurry of action to end the half.
44'
NEYMAR AGAIN! Messi turns provider this time, releasing Neymar with a delicate pass, but Cuellar positions himself well to make the save! Will it be another one of those nights for him?
42'
GREAT OPENING! Neymar cuts inside one marker, and strides across goal, trying to find the opportune moment to release the shot. He doesn't get space, so he touches it back to Suarez, whose finish is deflected over.
40'
Iniesta cracks one well over the bar, and it's the first we've seen from Barcelona in an attacking sense for a little while. Abelardo Fernandez will be pleased with his team's showing so far.
38'
Glimpse of a chance there for the home side as Halilovic hoists a ball over the top of the defence and towards the back post, but a sliding Guerrero can't reach it in time. Decent attack, that.
36'
Not a whole lot happening in terms of goalmouth action at the moment. Sporting are showing that they're entirely capable of playing here, and will take confidence from every sequence in possession.
34'
One man who could use a goal more than most is Neymar. He scored against Deportivo to break a five-game drought, and he's been the member of the front three criticised the most during Barcelona's post-Clasico slump.
32'
You would have expected the floodgates to open after Messi gave Barcelona the lead early on, but Sporting have done well to make a game of it and prevent an onslaught on Cuellar's goal.
30'
A cross comes in for Suarez, but he's challenged at the back post to prevent a shot. However, it breaks kindly for Sergi Roberto at the top of the box, and he shifts it onto his left peg to curl one, but it's well over. He's never scored a goal in la Liga.
26'
O. Vranješ gets yellow.
Finally, we see the first booking of the game, and it's Neymar who is the subject once again. The Brazilian appeared to wriggle free of Vranjes, but he was pulled back, leading to the yellow card.
24'
Neymar is sent writhing to the ground in agony for the second time in this match, but the referee keeps his cards in his pocket once again. He does go to ground too easily, but the visitors are also not holding back in their challenges.
22'
For now, Sporting can be relatively pleased at their improvement in the last few minutes. They've managed to take possession away from the home side, and move the ball out of their own half.
20'
First sign of Halilovic in this game as he finds the space at the top of the box to have a shot on goal, but a deflection off a Barca player takes it out for a corner, which doesn't amount to anything.
18'
We haven't seen too much from the visitors since that earlier chance from Menendez. It's been all Barcelona, but just as I say that, Mascherano has to charge into hack clear a dangerous long throw.
16'
SAVE BY CUELLAR! Messi once again arrives late at the top of the box, and lashes a low effort towards goal, but the keeper gets down to stop it with his legs. To be fair, it was a save you would expect him to make.
14'
Sporting were complaining that Suarez had his boot too high when attacking that ball, but replays suggest that it was a fair 50-50. Meanwhile, the fans applaud the onset of minute 14 in remembrance of Johan Cruyff.
12'
L. Messi has scored a goal for Barcelona!
MESSI MAKES HIS MARK! The ball was hoisted over the top for Suarez to attack, and he collides with Cuellar, who gets the ball away. However, it goes only as far as Messi, who heads in the rebound first time from just inside the box.
11'
THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN 1-0! Sporting are given a glorious chance as Guerrero pulls wide and has the mismatch against Pique, with Menendez in support. However, the latter's finish is weak and smothered by Bravo! He was in very close, and should have buried that.
9'
All eyes will be on Suarez tonight. The Uruguayan plundered four goals and laid on three more assists in one of the greatest individual performances in recent memory in the Spanish top flight.
7'
Some great defensive effort from the visiting side, who are forcing Barcelona to bide their time by resetting a number of attacks all the way back to the defensive line. Can they keep it up though?
5'
Sporting are sitting very deep in an attempt to prevent the front three from getting in behind. They're also staying compact, and daring Barcelona to beat them down the flanks.
3'
Messi is on the end of the first shot of the game, as he gets his head to Sergi Roberto's cross, but he can't keep it down to trouble the keeper. Good start from the home side, as you would expect.
1'
Here we go!
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Liga clash between Barcelona and Sporting Gijon at Camp Nou. Second from top faces third from bottom as both sides have vastly different goals, but the same agenda in terms of picking up points. Stick with us for all the action.
Barcelona returned to form in the best way possible, hammering Deportivo 8-0 during the week to hold onto their tenuous lead in the standings. Their destiny is still in their own hands, as wins in their four remaining games will see them finish as champions again. It sounds simple, but as their rotten run recently has shown, it's anything but predictable.
Sporting have rounded into form at precisely the right time to rescue their top-flight status. They've lost only one of their last five games, a run which has included massive 2-1 wins at home against Atletico Madrid and Sevilla. However, they've only won thrice on the road all season, and their mark of 11 goals on the road is tied for the worst such record in the league.
Barcelona have won 10 straight games against Sproting at Camp Nou, and they also took all three points with a 3-1 triumph in the reverse fixture earlier this season. However, the Catalans have also lost two straight at home, and if they get upset today, it will be only the third time in their history that they've dropped three straight on their own patch.
Unsurprisingly, given that they won their last match 8-0, the only two changes from Luis Enrique comes in the back four. Marc Bartra and Dani Alves make way for Gerard Pique and Sergi Roberto respectively.
Alen Halilovic, who is on loan at Sporting from Barcelona, will start against his parent club on the right flank. Miguel Angel Guerrero heads the visitors' attack, while Omar Mascarell replaces Jhony.
That will do it for now from Camp Nou, with Barcelona holding a narrow 1-0 lead thanks to Messi's opportunistic header. There's been chances at either end, and Sporting have done everything but lay down. A lot to play for in the second half with title implications at stake, so do stay tuned.
And that will do it for Barcelona. Another resounding win, which gives them the lead atop the table on head-to-head record over Atletico. Anyone hoping for a slip-up were left sorely disappointed as Suarez, with four more goals, led them to the win at home. Only three games left now in the tightest of title races. That's all the time we have, thanks for tuning in.
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