Barcelona takes 14-point lead over Real Madrid after 3-0 win
Barcelona's Lionel Messi, left, celebrates after scoring the second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Dec. 23, 2017. | AP Photo/Paul White
MADRID — Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez scored as Barcelona beat 10-man Real Madrid 3-0 Saturday in the Spanish league, dealing a huge blow to its fiercest rival's title defense.
Suarez struck in the 54th minute of the politically charged game and Messi added a penalty 10 minutes later after Madrid's Dani Carvajal received a direct red for stopping a goal-bound header by Paulinho.
Messi also set up substitute Aleix Vidal to round off the commanding win in stoppage time.
The victory by Ernesto Valverde's team left Barcelona 14 points clear of Madrid, which remained in fourth place with a game in hand.
Barcelona increased its lead to nine points over second-place Atletico Madrid, which lost at Espanyol on Friday.
Barcelona also extended its unbeaten streak to 25 matches across all competitions since losing to Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup in August.
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