Luis Suarez's hat trick fired a Lionel Messi-less Barcelona to a 5-1 Clasico victory over struggling Real Madrid in the Camp Nou on Sunday.
Goals from Philippe Coutinho and Suarez paced the Blaugrana in the first half, while the Uruguayan stole the show after Marcelo halved Barca's advantage after the break and Arturo Vidal added a goal of his own late.
The heavy defeat left embattled Real boss Julen Lopetegui's job hanging by a thread in the first Clasico played without Messi, who watched from the stands with a fracture in his right arm, or Cristiano Ronaldo since 2007.
Barcelona entered the massive match one point behind La Liga table-toppers Atletico Madrid, while Real found themselves in ninth, five points off the pace, and having taken just one point from their previous four league matches.
Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho celebrates Barcelona's impressive start against Real Madrid. GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images
And Barcelona added to that misery after just 12 minutes, when, after a receiving a cutting pass behind the defence, Jordi Alba found Coutinho free in the box to slot home past a scrambling Real Madrid rearguard.
The Catalans doubled the lead from the penalty spot at the 30-minute mark. Suarez went down in the box after a challenge from Raphael Varane. The play was initially allowed to go on before a VAR consultation awarded the Uruguayan the penalty kick, which he squeezed past Thibaut Courtois at the left post.
But Real wouldn't go quietly and enjoyed a perfect start to the second half when Marcelo settled a loose ball and stroked home after a scramble in the box.
The goal marked the third straight match in which the Brazil left-back has scored.
However, an unstoppable Suarez added two more -- with a header in the 75th and a wonderful ship in the 83rd -- before Vidal's late header sealed a lopsided scoreline for the hosts over their fiercest rivals.
The result puts Ernesto Valverde's back atop the La Liga standings with 21 points from 10 matches, two above Atletico. Madrid remain in ninth.
Source: espn.co.uk