SUAREZ INSPIRES BARÇA REVIVAL AT ALMERIA

Two assists from Luis

Suarez inspired
Barcelona to come
from behind and snap
a two-game losing
streak in La Liga with
a 2-1 win at Almeria
on Saturday.


Suarez had started the game on the bench
alongside Neymar as Barca boss Luis Enrique made
five changes from the side that defeated Ajax 2-0 in
midweek.


However, both men were called into action at
halftime after Thievy Bifouma had fired Almeria into
the lead eight minutes before the break.


Suarez squared for Neymar to level the scores 18
minutes from time and his cross then teed up Jordi
Alba to seal the three points nine minutes later.


Victory takes Barca a point ahead of Real Madrid at
the top of La Liga, but Los Blancos can reclaim top
spot when they host Rayo Vallecano later on
Saturday.


Enrique's decision to make a host of changes
handed Pedro Rodriguez and Munir El Haddadi a
start alongside Lionel Messi in attack.


But they did little to justify their selection, although
Munir did force Ruben Martinez into a low save
after the Almeria 'keeper had blocked Messi's effort
from close range.


Martinez had to be at his best to stop Barca taking
the lead just before the half hour mark as he
scrambled to keep out Ivan Rakitic's downward
header and from the rebound Messi nodded onto
the crossbar.


However, the visitors were caught out eight
minutes before halftime as Messi lost possession
deep inside the Almeria half and with one pass
Barca were undone as Jonathan Soriano released
Thievy and he raced past Bartra before calmly
slotting past Bravo.


Enrique had seen enough in the first 45 minutes and
swiftly introduced Suarez and Neymar for Munir
and Pedro at the break.


It took 15 minutes for the substitutes to make an
impact as Suarez acrobatically volleyed against the
bar at the back post from a corner.


Suarez was the creator when Barca did eventually
level as he turned his marker just inside the area
and squared for Neymar to turn the ball home via a
deflection off Ximo Navarro.


The Uruguayan was inches away from his first
Barca goal moments later as he spun and sent a
low shot just beyond Martinez's far post.


Suarez then teed up Messi to sent another looping
header off the crossbar as the pressure from the
Catalans continued.


And they found the winner eight minutes from the
end when after another burst from Suarez down the
right he picked out the late arriving Alba from left-
back to bundle home his first goal of the season.


Messi's quest to become the joint top goalscorer in
La Liga history was frustrated once more by
Martinez in stoppage time, but Barca saw the game
out to return to winning ways after back-to-back
league defeats against Real Madrid and Celta Vigo.