Lionel Messi was playing in his 40th Clasico on Wednesday night, but despite having scored a record 26 goals in the fixture, the match proved to be his eighth Copa del Rey game against Real without a goal.
The Argentine could have swiftly amended that peculiar statistic in the second half, but instead he allowed Suarez to take the penalty, perhaps thinking his team-mate was on a hat-trick having been in the vicinity when Raphael Varane scored an own goal minutes before for Barca’s second.
Real’s defence understandably zeroed in on Messi, who was on the receiving end of a hefty Toni Kroos tackle, but the attention placed on the five-time Ballon d’Or winner ultimately benefited Suarez, and also Ousmane Dembele, who crossed in for the first two goals.
A 41st Clasico awaits Messi on Saturday. He will expect the same treatment, but he will not care if the outcome is the same.