All this after Atletico had started the brighter of the two sides and taken the lead on 10 minutes when Saul was allowed to drive the ball back from the right byline and Koke, arriving unmarked on the penalty spot, finished past Claudio Bravo.
It seemed Barcelona would now be in for a real test. They would have to beat Jan Oblak twice – a keeper who had only conceded three goals away from home all season and who had kept 14 clean sheets in 21 games.
It took them just 28 minutes to do it.
First came the resistance though. Godin and Jose Gimenez dived in front of a Dani Alves shot to send it clear and Godin and Gabi were booked – the defender for catching Suarez and the midfielder for chopping down Ivan Rakitic.
Stubborn defending, especially at the limits of the laws of the game only takes a team so far however and eventually the Barca goals came.
First Suarez went close when Oblak blocked his shot at the near post. The Slovenian keeper got down well but the next shot intended for that near post pocket found its destination – Oblak couldn't stop it, he barely saw it.
Messi was the executioner, Alba the architect with a clever cross straight to the Argentine's feet in a crowded area.
When the second came it was far less intricate. Alves played in Suarez down the right and he shielded the ball from Jimenez long enough for it to sit up for him in the six-yard box allowing him to thunder it through Oblak's legs.
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