Barcelona beat Al Ahli 5-3 in a friendly in Qatar

Lionel Messi holds the hands of Afghan boy Murtaza Ahmadi on the pitch before a friendly

Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar were on the scoresheet as Barcelona beat Saudi Arabian champions Al Ahli 5-3 in an entertaining friendly in Qatar.

Suarez opened the scoring in Doha after eight minutes before Messi doubled the lead two minutes later with an arrowed strike across goal.

Neymar swept in a third after 16 minutes before the trio were all substituted just past the half hour mark.

2016 AFC Player of the Year Omar Abdulrahman pulled one back with a panenka penalty but further goals from Paco Alcacer and Rafinha put the result beyond doubt.

A brace from Mohanad Aseri restored some respectability to the scoreline but Barcelona were coasting as they looked to preserve energy ahead of the Catalan derby against Espanyol on Sunday.

Before the match there was a touching scene as Lionel Messi greeted Murtaza Ahmadi, the six-year-old Afghan boy who was pictured earlier in the year sporting a makeshift Argentina shirt made from a blue-and-white striped carrier bag.

Murtaza walked onto the pitch, where he hugged his idol before taking part in the team photo and placing the ball on the centre spot ahead of kick off.

Barcelona, who were drawn against PSG in the Monday's Champions League Round of 16 draw, now return to Spain as they endeavour to make up the six-point gap between them and La Liga leaders Real Madrid.