Barca Equal Their Best Ever La Liga Unbeaten Run With Victory Over Eibar

Barcelona warmed up for Tuesday's Champions League trip to Chelsea with a hard-fought win over Eibar to equal their best ever La Liga unbeaten run.

Ernesto Valverde did not rest anyone and Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba scored to take them 10 points clear at the top and 31 La Liga games unbeaten.

Barca led when Lionel Messi played in Suarez, who slotted home.

Both sides hit the woodwork, and Eibar had Fabian Orellana sent off, before Alba's late clincher.

Orellana hit the crossbar from outside the box moments after Suarez rounded keeper Marko Dmitrovic to score the opener, and Messi hit the post in the second half from Suarez's lay-off.

January loan signing Orellana was shown a second yellow card for punching the ball away in anger. Moments later manager Jose Luis Mendilibar was sent to the stands for an angry reaction to Suarez not being booked for kicking the ball away.

Seventh-placed Basque minnows Eibar deserved better - but Alba wrapped it up late on after Dmitrovic parried Messi's effort.

Barcelona - who match their unbeaten run from 2010-11 under Pep Guardiola - are now 10 points above Atletico Madrid, who host Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.