Goals by Luis Suarez and Rafinha in the first half put the visitors in a comfortable position at the El Molinon stadium.
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They are level at the top of the table with Real Madrid, who can go clear again when they play at Las Palmas later on Saturday. Neymar scored twice and Arda Turan completed the home side’s misery.
After a slow and tiresome start by Barca, Arda Turan set up Suarez and the Uruguayan rounded Sporting goalkeeper Ivan Cuellar to tap in the opener in the 29th minute.
Neymar was the first to test Sporting goalkeeper Ivan Cuellar with a 13th-minute overhead kick. Luis Enrique, the Barcelona coach, who was returning to his boyhood club, was far from satisfied with his side’s display.
Two minutes later Rafinha doubled Barca’ s lead with a diving header after a team move saw Sergi Roberto whip in a low cross for the Brazilian to put the ball in at the near post.
Alberto Lora’s dismissal in the 74th minute made it an uphill struggle for the hosts, with Neymar grabbing his first goal in the 82nd minute and Arda Turan’s header making it four two minutes later.
Alcacer is yet to open his Barca account following an off-season switch from Valencia, but he had a hand in the third goal, meeting Roberto’s pass from the right to cannon a fierce shot against the crossbar.
Denis Suarez then did brilliantly running at the sorry Sporting defence, slipping in Neymar wide on the left side of the box, the Brazil global grabbing his second and Barca’s fifth with a shot across the keeper and into the far corner of the net.
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He nearly completed a stunning hat-trick in injury time, but his curling effort struck the post.
