Suarez scored a hat-trick as Barca hammered Real Madrid 5-1 in El Clasico back in October, a result which will cost Julen Lopetegui his job. While this was another thrashing, the scoreline was not an indication of how the game went.
Ernesto Valverde’s side rode their luck at the Bernabeu to reach the final again as they look to win an unprecedented fifth successive Copa del Rey. Marc-Andre ter Stegen made several fine stops to keep out Real before Barca scored with their first shot on target.
Suarez netted his 10th Clasico goal as he blasted home from 14 yards and he was involved in their second as Varane put Dembele’s cross into his own net in a desperate bid to stop the ball reaching the Uruguayan.
And Suarez scored again – with a Panenka penalty,a technique associated with Real Captain Sergio Ramos this season – after he had won the spot-kick himself. It was a relatively quiet night for Lionel Messi, who had scored a hat-trick in Saturday’s 4-2 win over Sevilla.
Now over to Saturday’s Clasico back in Madrid, with the Catalans looking to expand their seven-point lead at the top over Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid.