SPORTS: Suarez hat-trick inspires Barca, Atletico beat Valencia

Barcelona’s Luis Suarez celebrates after scoring a goal in their La Liga match against Eibar at Camp Nou in Barcelona on Sunday. The hosts won 3-1. (Photo: AP)

Luis Suarez scored a hat-trick as Barcelona came from behind in the absence of the injured Lionel Messi to beat Basque minnows Eibar 3-1.

Victory takes Barca level with Real Madrid on 21 points, but Los Blancos remain on top thanks to their superior goal difference.

Atletico Madrid moved up to third, two points behind the leaders, thanks to goals from Jackson Martinez and Yannick Ferreira Carrasco in a 2-1 win over Valencia on Sunday.

The on-form Borja Baston fired Eibar into a shock lead just 10 minutes in at the Camp Nou, but Suarez restored parity with a bullet header and then put Barca in front just after the break.

Eibar were handed a lifeline when Javier Mascherano saw a straight red card for protesting with the referee seven minutes from time.

But Suarez promptly sealed his hat-trick and a vital three points from Neymar’s pass to celebrate a year since he made his Barca debut.

“You celebrate wins like this in a different way. It is special because I made my debut a year ago,” Suarez told Canal Plus.

There was a moment of reflection before kick-off as the Barcelona players entered the field wearing orange t-shirts to honour legendary former Barca player and coach Johan Cruyff, who was diagnosed with lung cancer this week.