Luis Suárez had the Barcelona fans chanting his name after he set up Lionel Messi to score the opening goal in a 3-1 victory in the first leg off their Copa del Rey semi-final at home to Villarreal on Wednesday.
The Uruguay forward won possession in the Villarreal half in the 41st minute at Camp Nou before laying a perfect pass into Messi’s path for the Argentina captain to sweep a first-time shot past the Villarreal goalkeeper, Sergio Asenjo.
Barça squandered a series of chances before Villarreal levelled three minutes into the second period after the home keeper, MarcAndré Ter Stegen, let a long-range shot from Manuel Trigueros straight through his hands.
Andrés Iniesta put Barça back in front a minute later when he fired a loose ball low into the net and Gerard Piqué made it 3-1 in the 64th minute with a header from a Messi corner.
Messi would normally have taken the spot-kick when Barça were awarded a penalty for a Mateo Musacchio handball in the 70th minute but, after he stepped aside to allow Neymar to take it, the Brazil captain had his effort well saved by Asenjo.
Suárez won more appreciation from the home support in stoppage time when he almost caught Asenjo off his line with a lobbed shot from near the halfway line but the ball drifted narrowly wide with the keeper beaten.
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