Neymar scored a sublime goal as Barcelona thrashed Sporting Gijon to go top of La Liga. On the night that coach Luis Enrique announced he will quit in the summer, Lionel Messi's header and an own goal by Juan Rodriguez put Barca in control. Carlos Castro made it 2-1 but Luis Suarez and Paco Alcacer extended the lead before Neymar's free-kick and Ivan Rakitic completed the rout. Barca are one point clear of Real Madrid, who drew 3-3 with Las Palmas. Zinedine Zidane's side still have a game in hand on the champions.

There were thousands of empty seats at the Nou Camp - an indication of the mood following Barcelona's crushing 4-0 Champions League defeat against Paris St-Germain last month. PSG visit Catalonia for the return leg next Wednesday confident of finishing the job yet Barca are at least fighting on the domestic front. This was a routine win against poor opposition. Sporting were 2-0 down after 11 minutes, Messi springing the offside trap to head the first before Rodriguez turned Suarez's cross over his own line. Suarez did find the net before the interval before Alcacer, on for Suarez, made it 4-1.

The goal of the night belonged to Neymar, the Brazilian curling a delightful free-kick over the Sporting wall and into the top corner of the net. Sporting's misery was complete thanks to Rakitic's thumping finish, Barca's 17th goal in three games against Gijon.