Osasuna 0 - 3 Barcelona: Luis Suarez double helps Barcelona back to winning ways

Posted Saturday, December 10, 2016 by PA

Barcelona rediscovered the winning feeling in LaLiga after three straight draws as a goal from Luis Suarez and two for Lionel Messi sealed a 3-0 victory away to Osasuna.

The failure to cut Real Madrid's six-point lead in El Clasico last weekend made a victory essential at El Sadar. A goalless first half was followed by a fright as Sergio Leon's clever chip struck the crossbar in the 49th minute, before two well-worked efforts unlocked the solid Osasuna defence, with Jordi Alba providing the final pass each time.

Messi made and finished the third entirely on his own in stoppage time to wrap up the points on a satisfying afternoon in Pamplona.

The defeat was Osasuna's fifth in succession in LaLiga, leaving them bottom and set for a swift return to the second tier, but their performance and work rate here could be enough for them to survive if they can replicate it against less illustrious opponents.

Barcelona dominated possession and chances but had nothing to show for it at the end of the first half, with Suarez twice coming close in the opening 12 minutes.

First the Uruguayan steered a shot wide as Nauzet Perez narrowed the angle, with the chance created by a sublime pass from the outside of Messi's left boot. Suarez then held off a challenge from Ivan Marquez, turned and shot but his effort bounced back off the post.

Nauzet then managed to get a leg in the way of a Messi shot as Sergi Roberto and Suarez combined to make the opening for him with 15 minutes gone.

Andres Iniesta curled a shot wide from long range after a Messi short corner caught Osasuna napping, before Nauzet got fingertips to keep out Messi's attempt to chip him.

Oier was yellow-carded for going in high and late on Alba, and Osasuna gave Barca a scare on the half-hour mark as Miguel de las Cuevas' low cross just failed to pick out the run of Oriol Riera.

The home side came agonisingly close to going ahead four minutes into the second half as Leon got away from the Barcelona defence with a clever turn and from 20 yards his chip had the beating of goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen but smacked against the crossbar and out.

Barcelona recovered from the scare to take the lead just before the hour mark as Messi angled a pass to Alba through a pack of defenders, and the left-back's first-time ball across the area left Suarez, who appeared to be marginally offside, with an easy tap-in.

Nauzet parried a Messi shot wide for a corner midway through the half, but the Argentinian took the game away from Osasuna by adding a second after 72 minutes.

Substitute Denis Suarez waited for the overlapping run of Alba, and his cutback found Messi at the near post six yards out to clip home.

His third was the best of the bunch, riding the tackles of three Osasuna defenders before steadying himself and waiting for the perfect moment to place his shot beyond the committed Nauzet from 12 yards out.