Cordoba 0-8 Barcelona

Suarez has now scored 24 goals in all competitions for Barcelona this season

Luis Suarez scored his first hat-trick for Barcelona as they edged closer to the La Liga title with an emphatic victory over bottom side Cordoba.

Ivan Rakitic and Suarez put Barca 2-0 up at half-time and Luis Enrique's side turned on the style after the break.

Lionel Messi scored twice to reach 51 goals for the season, while Gerard Pique and Neymar were also on target.

Barca remain two points clear of Real Madrid, who survived a few nervous moment to claim a 3-2 win over Sevilla.

The Catalan club's victory stretched their unbeaten run to 16 matches - winning 15 - in all competitions.

Uruguay striker Suarez was the standout performer with his first treble since he joined Barcelona from Liverpool for £75m last summer.

The 28-year-old scored Barca's second - after Croatia midfielder Rakitic had opened the scoring with a half volley - when he finished from close range.

Suarez headed in after the interval and rounded off the scoring late on with a clinical finish after the ball had fallen kindly to him from a deflected shot.

Argentina forward Messi passed a half-century of goals in a season for the fourth time in his career with a header and a tap in, while Brazil forward Neymar scored from the penalty spot and Spain defender Pique headed in from a corner.

Barcelona, who thumped Getafe 6-0 earlier this week, will secure the title if they win their last three La Liga games, even if Real triumph in all of their remaining fixtures.

However, should the teams finish level on points, Real would become champions for the first time since 2012.

Spanish teams who finish level on points are separated by their head-to-head record - not goal difference - and Madrid have the superior record this season.