Suarez and Neymar make Messi’s absence easier to take as Barcelona keep pace with Real Madrid

Luis Suarez celebrates scoring Barcelona's opening goal against Getafe. Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno / Getty Images

Barcelona kept pace with Real Madrid at the top of the Primera Liga as Luis Suarez and Neymar once again compensated for the absence of Lionel Messi with a goal apiece in a 2-0 win at Getafe.

Madrid were comfortable 3-1 winners over Las Palmas thanks to goals from Isco, Cristiano Ronaldo and Jese Rodriguez.

Neymar and Suarez have now combined for Barca’s last 14 league goals since Messi went down with knee ligament damage over a month ago.

However, it was Sergi Roberto who shone brightest for Barca as his stunning back-heel assist freed Suarez for the opener before also crossing for Neymar to volley home the second to cap off a rapid counter-attack.

“I think we played a very intelligent game,” Suarez told Canal Plus.

“We controlled the ball during the whole game and tried to find the space we could.”

However the former Liverpool man denied he and Neymar’s relationship was making it easy to forget Messi in his absence.

“People remember him just as well because he is the best player in the world.”

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Barca’s dominance in possession was rewarded with a brilliantly crafted opening goal as Roberto flicked Neymar’s cross perfectly into Suarez’s path and the Uruguayan kept his cool to register his 300th career goal for club and country.

Roberto was at the heart of the second goal just before the hour mark too as Bravo collected a corner and bowled the ball out for the midfielder, who carried it forward before picking out Neymar and the Brazilian fired a volley in at the near post.

Elsewhere, Celta Vigo moved ahead of Atletico Madrid into third as they twice came from behind to defeat David Moyes’s Real Sociedad 3-2 at Anoeta.

Former Liverpool striker Iago Aspas equalised both times for the Galicians after Imanol Agirretxe had put Sociedad in front and Pablo Hernandez’s stunning volley a minute from time moved the visitors to within three points of Madrid and Barca.

Villarreal secured their first win in four league games as goals either side of half-time from Mario Gaspar and Cedric Bakambu saw of Sevilla 2-1.

Fernando Llorente reduced the arrears 14 minutes from time, but defeat sees Sevilla slip eight points off the top four ahead of their clash with Manchester City in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Valencia moved up to sixth as three second-half goals handed them bragging rights against local rivals Levante.

Paco Alcacer opened the scoring from the penalty spot before Sofiane Feghouli and Zakaria Bakkali sealed the three points.

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