Osasuna 0 Barcelona 3: Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez on target to close gap to leaders Real Madrid
Luis Enrique's side net second-half double against rock-bottom hosts with Real Madrid hosting Deportivo this evening
BARCELONA needed a second-half triple to seal victory against rock-bottom Osasuna and close the gap to Real Madrid.
Luis Suarez broke the deadlock in the 59th minute before Lionel Messi netted twice to seal victory.
The result leaves Barca three points behind leaders Real, who host Deportivo this evening looking to restore their gap.
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Osasuna are bottom of the table with just seven points from 15 matches but they proved worthy opponents for a period.
Barcelona should have taken the lead before the break as Messi and Suarez missed several gilt-edged chances.
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And the defending champions were almost fell behind as Sergio Leon tried an audacious long-range chip which rattled the crossbar with Marc-Andre ter Stegen stranded.
Uruguay star Suarez made amends for his earlier wastefulness as he tapped into an empty net after Jordia Alba found space to pass across goal.
And Messi doubled their advantage with a brilliant flick that left Osasuna stopper Nauzet Perez with no chance.
The Argentina international took himself to the top of the La Liga goalscoring charts with his 11th of the season in added time as the hosts' brave resistance crumbled.