“I don’t think any of our rivals will drop points in the last three games, but I won’t watch them”, the Coach said after the 6-0 victory over Sporting on Saturday.
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“Leo is the one who manages everything, all the stages of the game, and we are eternally grateful to him”, said Suarez.
Neymar converted a late penalty (one of three spot kicks awarded to Barcelona) to score for the second game running after going five games without finding the net, and Luis Enrique praised the Brazilian’s attitude.
Last Wednesday Barca got their faltering title bid back on track with a thumping 8-0 win at Deportivo La Coruna, where Suarez scored four and set up three. “He has been a really important player for us this year”. “In the second-half we showed that we need to play with that intensity all the time”.
Messi’s goal arrived after just 12 minutes when Andres Iniesta’s chip into the area was poorly beaten away by Pichu Cuellar and the Argentinean looped a header into the unguarded goal, the Sporting goalkeeper’s protests for a Suarez foul falling on deaf ears.
However, Bale took responsibility to drag Madrid back into the game as he rose highest to power home Toni Kroos’s corner 10 minutes before half-time.
Real, however, are expected to rest Ronaldo for the first time this season in the league in preparation for Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final first leg at Manchester City.
And fittingly Bale was the man to decide the game as he pounced on a loose pass midway inside the Rayo half and surged forward before striking low and hard past Juan Carlos for his 18th goal of the season. Barcelona defender Marc Bartra, who scored against Deportivo with a surging run into the box, said the thrashing would lift his team for the run-in.
Suarez moved to 34 goals for the season, two more than Ronaldo, who was unavailable for Madrid this weekend with a thigh strain.
Referee Mateu Lahoz punished the Argentine after an extra ball was thrown onto the pitch from near the Atletico bench to break up a risky Malaga counter-attack.
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Barca’s run-in looks favorable, with Sporting Gijon, Real Betis, Espanyol and Granada their remaining four games. “It was vital we won and scoring many goals helps raise our confidence”.
