LUIS SUAREZ scored twice whilst Lionel Messi chipped in with a goal as Barcelona moved two points away from Real Madrid in La Liga.
Barca’s rout at the Nou Camp came before their president Josep Maria Bartomeu confirmed the club have opened talks with Messi over a new contract.
The President is keen to reassure fans to remain calm over Messi’s new deal and that he will personally take care of negotiations.
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Speaking to Esport3: “There aren’t any nerves. I want to reassure everyone, I will personally take care of the negotiations with Leo and his family.
“Everything requires time. We want Messi to remain here, but I will not give out any details.
“We are talking with his people. He is the best in the world, he wants to stay here and we want him to as well.
“Everything will be done with discretion and calmness. Of course it is an essential renewal for the club.
“I have already said the sooner the better – nothing has changed.”
This will be music to the ears of Barcelona’s fans who will have enjoyed their dominant win over Las Palmas, which piles the pressure onto Los Blancos – who face a tough trip against Sevilla on Sunday night.
Madrid remain very much in pole position with two games in hand – with their next match being a tough trip away to Sevilla.
Suarez opened the scoring after just 14 minutes, but Barca had to wait until early in the second-half to double their lead when Messi scored for the seventh straight game.
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However, the keeper was at fault when the second did finally arrive seven minutes into the second-half as he spilt Rafinha’s cross into the path of Messi to tap into an empty net to score his 27th goal in just 24 appearances this season.
Suarez added his second of the afternoon with a tidy finish into the far corner just before the hour mark.
Seconds later the Uruguayan should have sealed his hat-trick, but Turan slotted home the rebound after Varas denied Suarez as Barca struck three times in just six minutes.
Suarez was handed a break for the final 20 minutes as he was replaced by Paco Alcacer and the former Valencia captain teed up Vidal to slot home from just inside the area for the fifth 10 minutes from time.
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