Luis Suarez helped move Barcelona to within one point of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga, scoring in an emphatic win over Athletic Bilbao. He was given the ‘butcher of Bilbao’ treatment by Xabier Etxeita whose first half kick on him went unpunished but who repeated the crime in the second half and was shown the straight red. But despite being left with stud marks above his right knee Suarez finished the night with a smile on his face and his team-mates had plenty to celebrate after one of their best performances of the season meant they took three points from what is a notoriously difficult fixture. Barcelona forward Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal against Athletic Bilbao . Messi is mobbed by his Barcelona team-mates after firing his free-kick into the back of Gorka Iraizoz's net . Xavi (right) goes approaches Messi (centre) after the latter helped take Barcelona one point off top . Athletic Bilbao: Iraizoz, De Marcos, Etxeita, Laporte, Balenziaga (Aurtenetxe 52), San Jose, Mikel Rico, Susaeta (Benat 69), Lopez, Muniain (Gurpegui 78), Aduriz . Subs not used: Herrerin, Gomez, Aketxe, Williams . Goals: Mikel Rico 59, Aduriz 66 . Booked: Balenziaga 40, Lopez 69 . Sent off: Etxeita 75 . Barcelona: Bravo, Alves (Adriano 69), Mathieu, Pique, Alba, Xavi (Rafinha 74), Busquets, Rakitic, Messi, Suarez (Pedro 80), Neymar . Subs not used: Ter Stegen, Iniesta, Mascherano, Bartra . Goals: Messi 15, Suarez 26, De Marcos (OG) 62, Neymar 64, Pedro 86 . Booked: Alves 45 . Referee: A Mateu Lahoz . Attendance: 43,800 . 'We got the goals early' said Suarez, 'but they kept fighting and we had to match them in intensity to win the game.' The former Liverpool striker linked up with Neymar and Leo Messi to score the second after Messi had scored the first from a free-kick. Athletic made a fight of it in the second half with goals from Mikel Rico and Artiz Aduriz but Barcelona’s front three have clicked into gear just as Real Madrid’s trident have stalled and with Neymar getting on the scoresheet and Oscar De Marcos putting through his own net under pressure from Messi the game was won. Pedro replaced the wounded Suarez late-on and got the fifth. Athletic started with all the belief that Atletico Madrid had shown 24 hours earlier in their win over Real Madrid. They were physical too with Xabier Etxeita going through the back of Luis Suarez. But with another foul on the edge of the area Messi was given his first chance to test the home side’s keeper on 16 minutes and he took it with a free-kick that deflected past Gorka Iraizoz when it hit Aymeric Laporte in the wall. Luis Suarez (left) doubled Barcelona's lead, ensuring three points for Luis Enrique's team at San Mames . Former Liverpool striker Suarez kisses his fingers, as is customary in his celebration after scoring . Neymar, fast becoming the face of Barcelona, fights to take the ball past Oscar de Marcos during the match . It was the sixth straight game that Messi had scored and it took him to 23 goals for the season, just five goals short of the earlier pace setter Cristiano Ronaldo who has 28. On 20 minutes Neymar flicked Messi into space and he crossed for Suarez to rise at the far post and send his header back across the face of the goal. It looked a goal all the way but Iraizoz dived to his right to save to prolong the Suarez drought, but only for another six minutes. His next chance came on 26 minutes and this time Iraizoz could do nothing to prevent the goal. Neymar found Suarez who fed Messi and when he received the ball back from the Argentine, he found the bottom corner with a brilliant first time strike. Neymar controls the ball, as Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao to go within touching distance of Real Madrid . Ivan Rakitic (left), Messi and Neymar celebrate at San Mames as Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao . Suarez's shot ricochets back off Aymeric Laporte's leg as Barcelona looked to break down the Bilbao defence . It wasn’t all Barcelona. Former Real Sociedad keeper Claudio Bravo saved at the back post from Aritz Aduriz who then hit the post with a header. Barça could also have scored again when Xavi crossed and first Neymar and then Suarez failed to convert. Barcelona were flying forward but quick in defence too with Jeremy Mathieu back in the team ahead of Javier Mascherano and getting in ahead of Aduriz to prevent Athletic getting a foothold back in the game. Neymar was then fed by Messi but Laporte came across to make the interception. Alves chopped down Muniain and was shown the yellow card that rules him out of next game. Pedro wheels away in celebration after coming on as a substitute to score Barcelona's fifth goal of the game . Gorka Iraizoz looks up after Pedro's goal for Barcelona secured an impressive 5-2 win at San Mames . Suarez (centre) watches on as Messi falls in front of Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Iraizoz on Sunday night . Suarez could have doubled his tally at the start of the second half when he received another pass from Messi and turned to get his shot away only for Laporte to block. The French Basque was showing why Manchester United were interested in him in January. Athletic were not out of the game and when Messi gave the ball away in midfield they raced away to pull a goal back. It was Aduriz who got the shot away and when Bravo could only parry it and Mikel Rico swept in the rebound. Messi took two minutes to put things right. Suarez was this time the provider crossing from the right for Messi to connect at the far post. His effort hit Oscar de Marcos as it crossed the line. Neymar duels for the ball with Mikel San Jose (right) as Barcelona romped to a convincing 5-2 victory . Xabier Etxeita (centre), who was later shown a straight red card, celebrates Mikel Rico's goal for Bilbao . Barcelona head coach Luis Enrique watches on as his Barcelona side impress away at Bilbao . Neymar scored the fourth from Messi’s assist and it looked as if Barcelona would be able to coast the last 25 mintues but Aduriz beat Bravo from Muniain’s pass to make it 4-2. The old war-horse – one of Spain’s under-rated players and now 33 – had his 100th La Liga goal and he was keeping the home side in the game but only just. After Etxeita had been sent off for kicking Suarez under the referee’s Mateu Lahoz’ nose Barça could breathe more easily. Pedro came on to replace the Uruguayan and from a mesmerizing Messi assist Sergio Busquets crossed for the substitute to make it five. Barcelona have found another gear in 2015. Ever since their talisman took on the coach at the start of the year, elections were called, and the Sporting Director was sacked the team hasn’t looked back. They are now right on Real Madrid’s shoulder and Suarez is finding his range.
Barcelona had the opportunity to close the gap on Real Madrid after Carlo Ancelotti's men lost the Madrid derby on Saturday .
Lionel Messi opened the scoring for Barcelona with a first-half free-kick .
Luis Suarez doubled Barcelona's lead, but Athletic Bilbao equalised .
An own goal made it 3-1, before Neymar put Barcelona 4-1 up .
Bilbao again pulled a goal back, but Barcelona scored twice to win 5-2 .
Barcelona's win means that they are now one point behind Real Madrid .
Luis Suarez helped move Barcelona to within one point of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga, scoring in an emphatic win over Athletic Bilbao. He was given the ‘butcher of Bilbao’ treatment by Xabier Etxeita whose first half kick on him went unpunished but who repeated the crime in the second half and was shown the straight red. But despite being left with stud marks above his right knee Suarez finished the night with a smile on his face and his team-mates had plenty to celebrate after one of their best performances of the season meant they took three points from what is a notoriously difficult fixture. Barcelona forward Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal against Athletic Bilbao . Messi is mobbed by his Barcelona team-mates after firing his free-kick into the back of Gorka Iraizoz's net . Xavi (right) goes approaches Messi (centre) after the latter helped take Barcelona one point off top . Athletic Bilbao: Iraizoz, De Marcos, Etxeita, Laporte, Balenziaga (Aurtenetxe 52), San Jose, Mikel Rico, Susaeta (Benat 69), Lopez, Muniain (Gurpegui 78), Aduriz . Subs not used: Herrerin, Gomez, Aketxe, Williams . Goals: Mikel Rico 59, Aduriz 66 . Booked: Balenziaga 40, Lopez 69 . Sent off: Etxeita 75 . Barcelona: Bravo, Alves (Adriano 69), Mathieu, Pique, Alba, Xavi (Rafinha 74), Busquets, Rakitic, Messi, Suarez (Pedro 80), Neymar . Subs not used: Ter Stegen, Iniesta, Mascherano, Bartra . Goals: Messi 15, Suarez 26, De Marcos (OG) 62, Neymar 64, Pedro 86 . Booked: Alves 45 . Referee: A Mateu Lahoz . Attendance: 43,800 . 'We got the goals early' said Suarez, 'but they kept fighting and we had to match them in intensity to win the game.' The former Liverpool striker linked up with Neymar and Leo Messi to score the second after Messi had scored the first from a free-kick. Athletic made a fight of it in the second half with goals from Mikel Rico and Artiz Aduriz but Barcelona’s front three have clicked into gear just as Real Madrid’s trident have stalled and with Neymar getting on the scoresheet and Oscar De Marcos putting through his own net under pressure from Messi the game was won. Pedro replaced the wounded Suarez late-on and got the fifth. Athletic started with all the belief that Atletico Madrid had shown 24 hours earlier in their win over Real Madrid. They were physical too with Xabier Etxeita going through the back of Luis Suarez. But with another foul on the edge of the area Messi was given his first chance to test the home side’s keeper on 16 minutes and he took it with a free-kick that deflected past Gorka Iraizoz when it hit Aymeric Laporte in the wall. Luis Suarez (left) doubled Barcelona's lead, ensuring three points for Luis Enrique's team at San Mames . Former Liverpool striker Suarez kisses his fingers, as is customary in his celebration after scoring . Neymar, fast becoming the face of Barcelona, fights to take the ball past Oscar de Marcos during the match . It was the sixth straight game that Messi had scored and it took him to 23 goals for the season, just five goals short of the earlier pace setter Cristiano Ronaldo who has 28. On 20 minutes Neymar flicked Messi into space and he crossed for Suarez to rise at the far post and send his header back across the face of the goal. It looked a goal all the way but Iraizoz dived to his right to save to prolong the Suarez drought, but only for another six minutes. His next chance came on 26 minutes and this time Iraizoz could do nothing to prevent the goal. Neymar found Suarez who fed Messi and when he received the ball back from the Argentine, he found the bottom corner with a brilliant first time strike. Neymar controls the ball, as Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao to go within touching distance of Real Madrid . Ivan Rakitic (left), Messi and Neymar celebrate at San Mames as Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao . Suarez's shot ricochets back off Aymeric Laporte's leg as Barcelona looked to break down the Bilbao defence . It wasn’t all Barcelona. Former Real Sociedad keeper Claudio Bravo saved at the back post from Aritz Aduriz who then hit the post with a header. Barça could also have scored again when Xavi crossed and first Neymar and then Suarez failed to convert. Barcelona were flying forward but quick in defence too with Jeremy Mathieu back in the team ahead of Javier Mascherano and getting in ahead of Aduriz to prevent Athletic getting a foothold back in the game. Neymar was then fed by Messi but Laporte came across to make the interception. Alves chopped down Muniain and was shown the yellow card that rules him out of next game. Pedro wheels away in celebration after coming on as a substitute to score Barcelona's fifth goal of the game . Gorka Iraizoz looks up after Pedro's goal for Barcelona secured an impressive 5-2 win at San Mames . Suarez (centre) watches on as Messi falls in front of Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Iraizoz on Sunday night . Suarez could have doubled his tally at the start of the second half when he received another pass from Messi and turned to get his shot away only for Laporte to block. The French Basque was showing why Manchester United were interested in him in January. Athletic were not out of the game and when Messi gave the ball away in midfield they raced away to pull a goal back. It was Aduriz who got the shot away and when Bravo could only parry it and Mikel Rico swept in the rebound. Messi took two minutes to put things right. Suarez was this time the provider crossing from the right for Messi to connect at the far post. His effort hit Oscar de Marcos as it crossed the line. Neymar duels for the ball with Mikel San Jose (right) as Barcelona romped to a convincing 5-2 victory . Xabier Etxeita (centre), who was later shown a straight red card, celebrates Mikel Rico's goal for Bilbao . Barcelona head coach Luis Enrique watches on as his Barcelona side impress away at Bilbao . Neymar scored the fourth from Messi’s assist and it looked as if Barcelona would be able to coast the last 25 mintues but Aduriz beat Bravo from Muniain’s pass to make it 4-2. The old war-horse – one of Spain’s under-rated players and now 33 – had his 100th La Liga goal and he was keeping the home side in the game but only just. After Etxeita had been sent off for kicking Suarez under the referee’s Mateu Lahoz’ nose Barça could breathe more easily. Pedro came on to replace the Uruguayan and from a mesmerizing Messi assist Sergio Busquets crossed for the substitute to make it five. Barcelona have found another gear in 2015. Ever since their talisman took on the coach at the start of the year, elections were called, and the Sporting Director was sacked the team hasn’t looked back. They are now right on Real Madrid’s shoulder and Suarez is finding his range.
point of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga, forward Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring his Barcelona one point off top . Athletic Bilbao: 'but they kept fighting and we had to match them minutes and he took it with a free-kick that Laporte in the wall. Luis Suarez (left) doubled Barcelona's lead, ensuring three points for Luis scored again when Xavi crossed and first Neymar for Barcelona secured an impressive 5-2 win at raced away to pull a goal back. It was Aduriz who They are now right on Real Madrid’s shoulder and