Messi's driving ball across the face of goal isn't converted, and Rakitic.on the opposite side, tries to tee up Suarez, but he's too close to a Depor defender to smash home!
90' +1
NEARLY AN OUTSTANDING FIFTH! Suarez pulls off a move reminiscent of his Liverpool best, plucking a lifted pass out of the air, turning on a dime to beat two players but Fabricio was able to block his finish!
89'
The fans inside the Riazor, to their credit, have rarely let up in their support for the home side. Meanwhile, Alves pulls up after a blow to his knee, and has to wait a while for the ball to be put out of play. All subs are used, of course, so he may just sit the rest of this one out on the sidelines.
87'
Sidnei, with his race still red, tries to make up for his O.G. with a storming drive past two men, but Bartra stands in his way to prevent him from moving into shooting space. And that may just be that.
85'
Poor Depor try to orchestrate an attack down the right-hand side, but Pique lets the ball run across his body, confident that none of the attackers in blue and white can catch up to it on his blind side.
83'
Sidnei is unfortunate, scores an own goal!
OWN GOAL! BARCA HAVE FOUR! Unfortunate for the home side. Just one of those days, it looks like. Alves advances down the right-hand side, and his low cross bounces off one defender before hitting Sidnei and heading into the back of the net.
80'
Barca have begun to move the ball a little more patiently, just about trying to take the sting out of the game and close it out in confidence. Depor look to be finally out of gas.
79'
Lucas Pérez enters the game and replaces H. Medunjanin.
78'
Dani Alves gets yellow.
CLOSE TO A FOURTH! Messi nearly notches another one as Suarez's dangerous ball finds him in position, but Sidnei makes the goal-saving block! The scoring may not quite be done.
76'
Medunjanin fires off target from a decent position inside the box. There's been a few half-chances for the home side in this half, but nothing to really worry Bravo or Barcelona.
Minute
Description
74'
Rodriguez collects a good pass from Toche, but goes for the conservative option in feeding an under-pressure Juanfran on the right flank. He could have driven at goal himself from that position.
72'
Deportivo continue to hold a questionably high line around the edge of their box that leaves a good deal of space in behind for a team as intricate as Barcelona. That's been breached so many times today, I'm not sure what they're thinking.
70'
Pedro enters the game and replaces Neymar.
A teasing set piece is delivered in to the heart of the Barca area, just missing a connection off the head of one attacker, and the boot of another at the far post. That was close!
68'
Marc Bartra gets yellow.
Dominguez attempts to sweep the ball wide to the free man on the overlap, but he's taken out by Bartra. The substitute is called over to be booked, which is his first yellow card of the season.
66'
Marc Bartra enters the game and replaces Sergio Busquets.
Rafinha enters the game and replaces Andrés Iniesta.
Substitution time for the Catalans, who take out Busquets and Iniesta, replacing them with Rafinha and Bartra. That will mean that MAscherano will move into defensive midfield as Bartra partners Pique.
64'
Toché gets yellow.
That was Messi's 22nd hat trick in la Liga. Every one of his goals today have been of the highest quality. A bullet header, a delightful dink and finish and now this quintessentially Messi finish.
63'
Toché enters the game and replaces Oriol Riera.
62'
L. Messi has scored a goal for Barcelona! Assist by I. Rakitić.
AND MESSI DELIVERS! From the right side outside the box, the Argentine curls in a sumptuous effort into the far-bottom corner! He wraps up his hat trick and probably the points for his team too!
60'
Depor have generally been a little more assured on the ball in this half and in turn, Barcelona's attacking threat in the final third has blunted somewhat. The Catalans are still favourites, but they need that third goal now.
59'
Oriol Riera gets yellow.
58'
FIRST SAVE FOR BRAVO! The Barcelona keeper, so often a spectator, reacts excellently to divert a Dominguez effort around the post. That could have easily been a way back into the game for Depor!
56'
Barca are trying to find that killer through ball to orchestrate their third goal of the game. However, a few of the most recent passes have not met their mark, forcing the recipient to adjust their run.
54'
Barca continue to monopolize the ball and force Depor to chase shadows all over the pitch. With Cavaleiro now departed, Cuenca has taken up the baton as the lone attacking presence for the hosts.
52'
Wow. That was quite an achievement from Suarez to miss from there. Neymar advances down the left and sets up the Uruguayan inside the area, but he shanks his effort high and wide of the goal.
50'
WAS THAT A PENALTY? Medunjanin profits from a great Cuenca setup inside the area, but he hesitates on the shot and goes down under pressure from Mascherano. The referee waves play on!
48'
Cavaleiro is somewhat surprisingly withdrawn. Yes he was erratic in the first half, but he was also the only Depor attacker that looked capable of causing any problems to the Barca back four. Jose Rodriguez comes on.
46'
José Rodríguez enters the game and replaces Ivan Cavaleiro.
Here we go again.
44'
Barca continue to pass the ball around back and forth, left and right, Depor can't get a moment to themselves.
41'
The Barcelona front three have generally held their starting positions in this game; Messi right, Suarez central and Neymar left. The former two have been on their game today but the Brazilian's been a little quiet in comparison.
39'
The Brancoazuis are perpetually susceptible to the dinked ball behind the defence. On a Barca break, Messi feeds Suarez with just such a delivery, but the Uruguayan's finish on the turn is blocked by Fabricio.
37'
Whenever Depor try to attack and it breaks down, Barca can counter in devastating fashion. Messi, Neymar and Suarez are always on the move, usually supported by one runner in the form of Rakitic or Iniesta.
35'
DEPOR NEARLY PULL ONE BACK INSTANTLY! That was a MASSIVE opening that Cuenca still can't believe he passed up! Medunjanin plays in a great ball into the centre and Barca's marking switched off. The winger has a chance to stab one in against his former club, but he strikes well over!
33'
L. Messi has scored a goal for Barcelona! Assist by L. Suárez.
MESSI SCORES A SPECTACULAR SECOND! The ball bobbles off Suarez's heel, and the Argentine uses that bounce to his advantage, lifting the ball over the challenge of the last defender before unleashing the gentlest of lobs to beat Fabricio!
32'
Messi then attempts to carve Depor in two from the right again, as he leaves one man for dead, but not for the first time, he lets the ball run too far in front of his foot and the chance dies.
30'
Deportivo's rare advances have mostly occurred down the Barcelona right flank, where Messi has not really provided Alves with the greatest degree of defensive assistance so far.
28'
Barcelona will now want to get that second goal on the board as soon as possible. Though Cavaleiro's execution was laughable, Depor just showed that they can threaten at the other end.
26'
DEPORTIVO CHANCE! The visitors win a header, and Cavaleiro storms past an awkward attempt at a clearance from Pique. He has the advance on the near post, but gets too greedy, slashing a wild effort well off the mark.
24'
Deportivo are practically playing with a back six at the moment,such is their fear at allowing another ball over the top to break their defence. At the moment, all signs point to another Blaugrana goal.
22'
THAT COULD, AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN NUMBER TWO! Iniesta leaves the defence in tatters with a great ball over the top, and Suarez has all the time in the world to pick his spot, but sidefoots the volley into the wrong side of the net!
20'
Messi is attacking from the right flank in this game, the position where he really made his name as the best player in the world back in the 2008-09 season. He tries to skip past Luisinho but the Portuguese makes a great tackle.
18'
Barca continue to pour forward as Messi just misses his connection on an Iniesta flight. There are so many players in the Barcelona XI who can beat their immediate marker at will - it's a nightmare for Depor!
16'
Depor have no time to even settle and string a handful of passes together. The high pressing from Barcelona has worked a treat so far, with all 11 opposition players cowering inside their own defensive third.
14'
This is incomprehensible domination of possession for the Catalans, even by their godly standards on that front. They currently hold 79 per cent of the ball but based on what I've witnessed, it seems to be a lot more.
12'
Good to see Rakitic also developing an understanding with the front three. The Croatian's form has peaked and dipped in his first season at Camp Nou, with perhaps a few unfair expectations placed on him to resurrect the spirit of Xavi circa 2008-11.
10'
L. Messi has scored a goal for Barcelona! Assist by I. Rakitić.
MAGICAL OPENER! It's the same combination again, as Rakitic clips a pass over the top of the defence, which Messi attacks with a world-class header from at least 15 yards that is thumped into the far corner!
9'
NEARLY THE OPENER! Rakitic plays a corner short which Messi attacks with a raging effort, but from point-blank range, Fabricio makes a scintillating save, with the ball also kissing the post on its way out!
7'
Depor are starting to crawl out of their own half, but their advances into opposition territory are brief and uncoordinated. They have no idea how to execute at the moment, and Fernandez is not happy!
5'
Neymar leaves his man for dead and tees up Suarez, but with Messi positioning himself well for the final ball, the Uruguayan cannot oblige. Still one-way traffic in the direction of Fabricio's goal.
3'
Almost uninterrupted possession for the Catalan giants in the opening exchanges. This is to be expected - and Barca's opponents typically sit deep to soak up the initial forays before launching their own game plan.
1'
Here we go!
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Liga clash between Deportivo La Coruna and Barcelona. Despote numerous off-the-pitch issues, the visitors have let their football do the talking in recent games. Meanwhile, the hosts are fighting to put some further miles between themselves and the relegation zone. I'm Keeghann Sinanan, your designated scribe.
The Catalan giants have been going through a hailstorm recently, with great boardroom upheaval, while rumours of unsustainable friction between Luis Enrique and Lionel Messi persist. However, they recently closed out a 9-0 aggregate win over Elche to set up a Copa del Rey quarter-final with Atletico Madrid - a side they also dismantled 3-1 at home in the league a week ago.
Deportivo's target is survival, in their first season back in the top flight after finishing as Segunda Division runners up last term. Victor Fernandez's side currently sit only a point above the relegation zone. Goals have been an issue for them as their 14 strikes from 18 games is tied for the third-worst mark in the league. However, if they avoid defeat, they have a chance to make it three unbeaten in la Liga, which will be their best mark of the season.
Barcelona have not scored on the road in the league in their last two games, drawing blanks against both Getafe and Real Sociedad. The last time they went three away games without scoring was all the way back in May 2011. Recent history in this fixture heavily favours the Catalans, who have lost only one of the last 17 meetings between the pair.
Fernandez makes two changes from Depor's goalless stalemate at Levante last time out. Oriol Riera returns to lead the line in place of Toche, while Haris Medunjanin is recalled, with Jose Rodriguez making way.
Enrique on the other hand names an entirely different XI to the one that defeated Elche - restoring the exact same side from their last Liga outing, the 3-1 win against Atleti. The main news is that front three of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez, gelling so well recently, are back in action.
Right on cue, the referee signals for half time. It's been a game of complete control for the Catalans. They have Messi to thank for his two excellently taken goals, but the entire team has been performing as a unit. Deportivo look like a third-division side out there, and have a lot of work to do to even have a chance. Stay tuned for the restart in just a bit.
The referee has had enough and blows for full time. A comprehensive victory for Barcelona, led all the way by a splendid Messi hat-trick. An own goal from Sidnei made it 4-0 at the final reckoning, and the Catalans move to within a point of league leaders Real Madrid - who still have a game in hand. Deportivo can have no complaints as they were completely outclassed, and stay only a point above the relegation zone.
That's all from me, I've been Keeghann Sinanan and it's been fun!
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