Soccer-Barca blitz Sevilla with awesome first-half display

By Richard Martin

BARCELONA, April 5 (Reuters) - Barcelona cruised to a 3-0 win over Sevilla with a mesmerising attacking display on Wednesday thanks to two goals from Lionel Messi and one from Luis Suarez in the space of eight minutes to provisionally go above Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.

Barca lead the standings on 69 points although Real Madrid, who have 68 and have played two games fewer, can recover top spot when they visit Leganes later on Wednesday. Sevilla, who had Vitolo sent off for a second booking in the 90th minute, are fourth on 58 points.

Suarez crashed in an emphatic overhead kick in the 25th minute after a surging run by Messi then teed up the Argentine to knock in the second three minutes later.

Messi then produced an instinctive volley for the third Barca goal in the 33rd, piling more pain on a Sevilla side who had serious title ambitions little more than a month ago but have fallen apart in recent weeks and failed to win any of their last six games in all competitions. (Reporting by Richard Martin; Editing by Toby Davis)