Las Palmas 1-4 Barcelona: Neymar hat-trick keeps title hopes alive going into final week

Barcelona will take the La Liga title race to the final day of the season after they hammered Las Palmas 4-1 on Sunday, with Neymar scoring a hat-trick. Luis Suarez was also on target, with the home side's goal coming from Pedro Bigas in the second half. 

The three points keep Barca at the top of the table, but Real Madrid have a game in hand and will win their first title in five years if they pick up four points from their final two games after they beat Sevilla 4-1 on Sunday, too. The Blaugrana need Los Blancos to lose to either Celta Vigo or Malaga -- or to draw against them both. 

Luis Enrique's side could only focus on themselves here, though, and they came through despite suffering a number of setbacks in defence. With Gerard Pique, Sergi Roberto, Aleix Vidal and Jeremy Mathieu all missing for various reasons, Barça suffered a further setback when Javier Mascherano was injured in the warm up. It meant a first league start for Marlon Santos, while Lucas Digne started at right-back. 

Digne was involved in the game's first big moment. The Frenchman hauled down Jese Rodriguez, but despite being last man was only shown a yellow card. 

Barca grew into the game and eventually took the lead in classy fashion. Sergio Busquets produced a fine piece of skill in midfield, Andres Iniesta played the perfect pass for Suarez and the Uruguayan unselfishly squared for Neymar to open the scoring. 

The roles were reversed moments later. With seemingly nothing on, Neymar produced a stunning pass behind the Las Palmas defence and Suarez lofted the ball over Javi Varas to double Barça's lead. 

Barcelona didn't sit back and continued to attack after the break, which proved their downfall. Caught on the break, Las Palmas broke and Pedro Bigas arrived in the are with perfect timing to swipe the ball home from 12 yards and give the home fan's hopes of a comeback. 

Those hopes didn't last long, though. Ivan Rakitic's cross was headed home by Neymar to restore Barça's two goal lead and the Brazilian completed his hat-trick moments later, poking home from inside the area after being fed by a clever Jordi Alba pass. 

The worry for Barça is that it's too little, too late. Iniesta and Suarez are among the players who have bemoaned dropped points this season and the truth is it doesn't make good viewing: Alaves, Malaga (twice), Celta Vigo, Deportivo La Coruna... 

Now Barça are the ones left hoping. Hoping that Madrid, somehow, somewhere, come on stuck. Last season the shoe was on the other foot and Barça got themselves over the line. This time it's Madrid with the advantage and they don't look like they're about to throw away a chance to win their first La Liga title since 2012. But football can be a funny old game...