Lionel Messi and Neymar have a party as birthday boy Luis Suarez stews on bench

Lionel Messi and Neymar have a party as birthday boy Luis Suarez stews on bench

Lionel Messi and Neymar revelled in a Luis Suarez-less front three as Barcelona picked apart Elche for the third time this month and the fourth time this season. After back-to-back wins in the Copa del Rey and a three goal victory on the opening day of the season, a 6-0 success on Saturday gave the Catalans an 18-0 aggregate score over the Franjiverdes.

The third and fourth goals here were particularly pleasing: Both featured Messi passes and both finishes were supplied by Neymar. If you had to pick the best one, you'd go for the fourth, with a one-two between the pair and Messi's scooped assist allowing his Brazilian teammate to score with splendid side-footed volley. 

All this came after Gerard Pique had opened the scoring and Messi had scored from the spot. The Argentine then scored his second goal of the game and 31st of the season in the 88th minute, with Pedro adding the sixth in stoppage time.

 

In an act which now feels quite cruel, though, Suarez wasn't invited to his own birthday party. The Uruguayan turned 28 on Saturday but Luis Enrique, maybe with an eye on Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, left him stewing on the bench. But he wasn't the only one to go without cake: Andres Iniesta, Dani Alves and Ivan Rakitic also missed the celebrations.

Elche had actually started quite brightly, although that may have been down to a Barça's sluggishness. Claudio Bravo had to be alert, twice denying Faycal Fajr before the home side were made to pay for missing chances. 

Jordi Alba had already shot over and Messi had curled a free-kick inches wide when Xavi's quick-thinking led to the opening goal. Spotting Pique inside the area, Barça's captain aimed the ball at the tall centre back, who controlled with his chest and proceeded to volley home. And that was how it stayed until half-time, with Fajr lucky to make it to the whistle after his boot connected with Rafinha's face.

After the break it was one-way traffic from the moment Neymar went down under a challenge from Sergio Pelegrin in the 55th minute. Messi, who had missed from the spot against Atletico in midweek, coolly converted past Przemysław Tyton this time. Fajr was then disimissed for a second yellow and the party really got going, especially between Messi and Neymar. 

The Brazilian's first finish was good, opening his body up to bend the ball around Tyton, but his second was special. After rolling the ball to Messi, he continued his run into the area. Messi lifted a sublime pass over the top of a static Elche defence and Neymar's finish perfectly summed up the relationship between these two. Barça fans are being treated.

Messi's second goal came courtesy of a fine pass from Marc Bartra and the Messi-Neymar fiesta continued into injury time, when Neymar unselfishly laid on the game's final goal for Pedro, who couldn't miss from four yards out.