BARCELONA kept their march to the La Liga title in rhythm with doubles from Luis Suarez and Spurs flop Paulinho.
Deportivo La Coruna dared to start the Nou Camp match well, almost threatening to take the lead inside the first half hour.
But on 29 minutes the former Liverpool man got his first of a brace before the ex-Tottenham midfielder hit two of his own and even a Lionel Messi penalty miss did not spoil the party.
Struggling Deportivo did not look like a side staring relegation down the barrel during the early exchanges but their audacity to test the Barca defence was ruthlessly punished.
After 28 minutes of a slow for the home side, maestro Andres Iniesta went up a gear with a superb ball over the defence to Messi.
The Argentina master raced away from the visiting defence before squaring for Suarez to tap in the opener. Deportivo were not deflated but the goal but their confidence was a curse as another rapid Barca counter-attack finished with Messi spanking the crossbar.
And the world’s greatest player combined with the woodwork again on 41 minutes to create the second when a shot of his banged the post and fell to Paulinho to prod in.
Ex-Spurs star Paulinho scored from a Lionel Messi reboundThe half-time break gave Deportivo 15 minutes to ponder how all their industry and skill had left them two goals down.
And two minutes into the second half they were reminded when Suarez notched another.
Deportivo once again had the cheek to leave their own half but when it broke down, Iniesta fed Sergi Roberto, who crossed for Suarez to finish again. And Suarez turned provider on 70 minutes when he burst into the Deportivo box before being scythed down for a blatant penalty.
Instead of letting the Uruguayan take the spot-kick for his hat-trick, Messi took aim but the shot was saved at a perfect height for the diving goalkeeper.
But four minutes later that miss was made up for when a Jordi Alba fired a shot at the post and - once again - Paulinho was on hand to poke home.
From The Sun
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