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Barcelona Beat Sporting Gijon 3-1

And Lionel Messi scoring his 300th and 301st goals in the Spanish league on Wednesday was one of them.

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Suarez sealed the victory in the 67th, five minutes after missing a penalty.

Barcelona were 3-1 up at the time and the RTÉ football pundit believes that Messi should both apologise and be reprimanded by his coach for his “self-indulgent” behaviour.

But the following season they were eclipsed by Barcelona’s front three when Suarez arrived from Liverpool to play alongside Messi and Neymar. Luis Enrique tried to cover his mouth while smiling himself at the bench. It was the fourth consecutive loss for Getafe, which dropped to 13th in the 20-team standings.

“Our friendship is the most important thing”.

“I think we are have a really good season in the league”, Barca’s Aleix Vidal told reporters after the win.

Cuellar prevented a fourth with another save from Neymar but the visitors had done more than enough to move six points ahead of Atletico Madrid. “We have to keep this going, we can’t afford a letdown”.

Wednesday’s game may take on added significance for Enrique, it will be his first as a manager against Gijon, the club with whom he started his playing career.

Gijon had briefly levelled matters through Carlos Castro and gave a good account of themselves, with goalkeeper Ivan Cuellar producing several good saves, including from Suarez’s spot-kick. Suarez held off two defenders in the box before setting up Messi, who finished high into the roof of the net.

Messi opened the scoring with a superb free kick in the 28th minute, given for a foul by Carles Planas on Suarez.

Neymar struck the post with a remarkable curling shot in the 33rd.

Sporting, just two points outside the bottom three, travel to face Real Betis on Saturday in what could prove a pivotal clash in their fight against relegation, and Halilovic says they can be confident given their display against Barca.

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Sporting Gijon manager Abelardo Fernandez conceded his side were helpless to stop the reigning champions.

Barcelona's Lionel Messi reacts during match Sporting v Barcelona Spanish Liga BBVA- El Molinon stadium Gijon- 17/02/16