Barcelona vs. Sporting Gijon: Score, Reaction from 2016 La Liga Match

Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi kept Barcelona's hopes for back-to-back league titles alive by inspiring a 6-0 win over Sporting Gijon at the Camp Nou on Saturday.

Suarez hit four second-half goals, including two penalties, after Messi had started the scoring with less than 15 minutes gone in the opening half. Neymar added a fifth late on, just about turning in Barcelona's third penalty of the game.

Another win puts Barca back on top spot after both Madrid sides had leapfrogged them earlier in the day. The reigning champions are now a point ahead of Real Madrid, while they continue to lead second-placed Atletico only by virtue of a superior head-to-head record this season.

For Suarez, it's the second game in a row with four goals, following his stunning quartet during the recent 8-0 away win over Deportivo La Coruna.

Lalo R. Villar/Associated Press

But it was tense and nervy stuff early on from Barcelona, with Sporting likely feeling aggrieved that a big first-half decision didn't go their way, along with some soft calls after the break. The away side also squandered several glorious openings on the break.

Manager Luis Enrique probably hoped for a more confident initial display from a familiar starting XI that included Messi and his fellow prolific forwards, Neymar and Suarez, per the club:

Former Barca defender and current Sporting boss Abelardo raised an eyebrow when he included Barcelona loanee Alen Halilovic in the lineup, per the club's official site:

As is so often the case, Barca needed Messi to awaken them from a sluggish start. He duly obliged when he jumped to nod Andres Iniesta's sly pass over Sporting goalkeeper Ivan Cuellar.

Sky Sports Revista de La Liga relayed highlights of the move and finish:

The goal also continued an impressive scoring record for Messi, according to Sky Sports Statto:

But Barca endured a few major scares either side of the goal.

The first came when Miguel Angel Guerrero broke clear but delayed squaring the ball to Alex Menendez in a two-on-one situation favouring the visitors. That hesitation allowed Claudio Bravo to make a desperate save.

Then just before the halftime break, Barca cleared twice off the line, with both Javier Mascherano and Gerard Pique needed to deny a goal. The latter's block looked suspiciously like a handball on the line.

Judge for yourself:

Despite how dangerously they were living at the back, Barcelona continued to look menacing in forward areas. Both Messi and Neymar went close early in the second half.

The former has been out of sorts recently and seemed to lack any confidence when bearing down on the 'keeper. But Suarez is one striker right in peak form.

The Uruguayan tapped home his first after a fine and intricate team move:

Suarez now trailed only one man on the continent when it comes to league goals, according to WhoScored.com:

Suarez had appeared offside when he converted Iniesta's cross, but the goal was given and also set a personal best for the brilliant No. 9:

But while Suarez got the benefit of the doubt, Sporting didn't when Dani Alves' cross was judged to have been blocked by a hand. Suarez duly converted from the spot to take the lead over Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo in the race for the Pichichi, per Kieran Canning of Agence France Presse.

Suarez stretched his lead over Ronaldo barely minutes later when he was asked to score from the spot again after Neymar was shoved over in the box. In this sort of form, the Uruguayan was never going to miss.

But Neymar might have when he drew a third penalty following minimal contact in the box. The Brazilian's stuttered run up and straight-down-the-middle shot scuffed in off Cuellar.

Sid Lowe of the Guardian was less than impressed with the decision that also led to a red card for defender Ognjen Vranjes:

All that was left was for Suarez to score his fourth after deftly tucking home a very classy pass from Messi, whose technical quality and creative intent were outstanding all game.

Post-Match Reaction

Despite some of the penalty claims appearing soft, Sporting boss Abelardo refused to blame the officials, per ESPN's Dermot Corrigan:

Instead, he lamented his side's profligacy in front of goal: 

But Enrique was happy just to see his players provide the right response following a recent dip in their league form, per the club's official site:

Meanwhile, Suarez chose to play down his increasingly impressive individual efforts, according to Spanish publication Sport:

Two games, 14 goals and six precious points for Barcelona offer a blunt reminder to their title rivals this team is over its blip. With Suarez in the form of his life, the Madrid clubs will need a miracle to pinch the title.