Club World Cup: Luis Suarez trickery fires Barcelona into finale

Luis Suarez fired a hat-trick as Barcelona overcame the loss of Lionel Messi to kidney problems by beating China's Guangzhou Evergrande 3-0 to reach the Club World Cup final yesterday

Yokohama: Luis Suarez fired a hat-trick as Barcelona overcame the loss of Lionel Messi to kidney problems by beating China's Guangzhou Evergrande 3-0 to reach the Club World Cup final yesterday.


Barcelona forward Luis Suarez scores past Guangzhou Evergrande goalkeeper Li Shuai during their Club World Cup semi-final in Yokohama yesterday. Pic/AFP

The Spanish giants will face Argentine side River Plate in Yokohama on Sunday as they look to become the first team to win the tournament three times. "Luis Suarez is deadly inside the box, he will always score for you," Barca coach Luis Enrique told reporters.

The European champions were rocked before the semi-final when Messi was sidelined with renal colic — commonly caused by kidney stones — which could also rule him out of the final. Messi's strike partner Neymar was rested as he recovers from a groin strain. "We don't know if we'll have Messi and Neymar for the final," Enrique said about his two superstars.

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