Arda Turan fills void in absence of Messi

Barcelona didn't show any signs of missing Lionel Messi on Saturday, cruising past Sporting Gijon 5-0 in its first Spanish league game without the injured playmaker. Turkish star Arda Turan stepped up to the plate for Barcelona in Leonel Messi's absence. The Turkey international provided the assist for Barcelona's second goal and scored his sides forth. Turan started in place of Messi who was ruled-out for three weeks with a groin injury he suffered last week.

Neymar and Luis Suarez also took over in Messi's absence, and by the end of the day, Barcelona was only one point behind Real Madrid, which drew at Las Palmas 2-2 after conceding a late equalizer. Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio scored for Madrid, which twice relinquished its lead. Neymar scored two goals and Suarez one for Barcelona, while Rafinha and Turan added the others at El Molinon Stadium in Gijon. Athletic Bilbao won its fourth in a row to be third, two points behind Madrid.

Messi hurt his groin in the draw with Atletico Madrid at Camp Nou last week and will miss another La Liga game, one Champions League match and Argentina's World Cup qualifiers against Peru on Oct. 6 and Paraguay on Oct. 11.

Coach Luis Enrique filled the midfield with Turan, Rafinha, and Andre Gomes, resting Andres Iniesta and Ivan Rakitic. He also didn't play Javier Mascherano and Jordi Alba ahead of the Champions League game at Borussia Moenchengladbach on Wednesday.

"I have different kinds of players and that gives me a lot of options," Enrique said. "Depending on who we are playing and the players I have available, I'll pick the ones that I think are right for the situation."

Sporting played with 10 men from the 74th as captain Alberto Lora was sent off for a second yellow card after a hard sliding tackle on Sergi Roberto.

Barcelona struggled in the first 30 minutes but took control of the match after the first two goals, and the game opened up even more for the Catalan club after Lora's red card.

"The result doesn't reflect what happened," Enrique said. "It looks like it was an easy win but Sporting played an intense game. The red card changed everything and from then on we were able to score another three."

Sporting, which dropped to 12th in the standings, also lost 5-0 at Atletico Madrid two rounds ago.

Substitute Sergio Araujo scored an 85th-minute equalizer as Las Palmas held Real Madrid to its second consecutive draw.

Marco Asensio opened the scoring, and Tana evened the match before halftime. Benzema put the visitors ahead again in the 67th, but Araujo's shot ricocheted off goalkeeper Kiko Casilla and twice bounced off the Argentine striker.

"We lost two points that are needed to win the league," Madrid striker Alvaro Morata said. "We had to win this game."

Cristiano Ronaldo, who had a goal disallowed because of an offside in the 56th, appeared to be upset by his substitution in the 72nd. Ronaldo was replaced moments after helping Madrid go 2-1 in front when Karim Benzema slotted home the rebound after the Portuguese's initial effort was saved. Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane insisted that despite a sub-par display Ronaldo had been replaced to keep him fresh for Tuesday's Champions League trip to Borussia Dortmund.

"We have another game on Tuesday, and he has to rest too now and again," Zidane told Spanish TV station Movistar. "It is obvious he always wants to stay on the field, but I have to think about my players and particularly Cristiano. "I have to take him off sometimes and tonight we did it."