Sporting: Cuéllar; Lillo, Jorge Meré, Amorebieta, Lora; Sergio Álvarez, Nacho Cases; Moi Gómez (Dani Ndi 68‘), Victor Rodríguez (Douglas 77‘), Burgui; Duje Cop (Carlos Castro 68‘). 4-2-3-1.
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto, Piqué, Mathieu, Digne; André Gomes, Busquets (Denis Suárez 69‘), Arda Turan; Rafinha, Luis Suárez (Paco Alcácer 72‘), Neymar. 4-3-3.
Goals:
0-1. 29. Luis Suárez. Picked up long Turan pass and ran on past Cuéllar to score.
0-2. 32. Rafinha. Steered near post header past keeper from Sergi Roberto cross.
0-3. 81. Neymar. Following up after Paco Alcácer shot came back off crossbar.
0-4. 85. Arda Turan. Far post header down past keeper from Sergi Roberto centre.
0-5. 88. Neymar. Controlled Denis Suárez pass and angled shot past Cuéllar.
Yellow cards: Lora 09’, 74’, Amorebieta 86’ / red cards: Lora 74’.
Barcelona are now just a point behind leaders Real Madrid after they thrashed Sporting Gijón 0-5 on Saturday afternoon. There was a lot of pre-match speculation as to who would replace the injured Messi, but in the end Luis Enrique made several changes to include André Gomes, Arda Turan and Rafinha in the starting line-up. The locals had the first chance with a free kick when Ter Stegen carried the ball outside of the area, but that came to nothing, and Gomes went close a couple of times before Turan played a long ball on for Luis Suárez to round the keeper and score. Just three minutes later Rafinha headed the second from Sergi Roberto’s cross, but after that the locals kept it tight, and Ter Stegen had to save from Moi Gómez and Víctor Rodríguez either side of half time. However with a quarter of an hour or so to go Lora was sent off for a second bookable offence, and the visitors added three more in the last ten minutes, Neymar getting the first of those after Cuéllar pushed a shot from substitute Paco Alcácer on to the bar. Four minutes after that Turan headed in another Sergi Roberto centre, and Neymar rounded things off after Denis Suárez put him through near the end.