Goals from Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez have earned Barcelona a 2-0 half-time lead over hosts Athletic Bilbao in La Liga this evening.
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The visitors took the lead after 15 minutes had been played when Messi fired in a free kick that took a deflection off a Bilbao player on its way into the back of the net.
Athletic thought they had pulled level when Iker Muniain turned in a brilliant ball for Aritz Aduriz, only for the striker to see his shot saved in the centre of goal.
Bilbao stopper Gorka Iraizoz was next to get into the thick of the action as he pulled off a wonderful stop to keep out an effort from Suarez after the Argentine had been found by Messi's enticing ball.
The away side continued to press and they soon got their second goal of the game through Suarez, who thundered an effort low into the corner.
Athletic should have grabbed themselves a lifeline before the half-time whistle, but Aduriz's header smashed back off the post as he sought to make the most of some poor defending from Gerard Pique.
Christopher Dodd
