Barcelona feeling the strain as it holds off battling Las Palmas

The effects of a hectic fixture schedule is catching up even on all-conquering Barcelona which had to struggle to beat Las Palmas in La Liga Saturday.

Holding a 2-1 lead, Barca was subjected to a late onslaught from the Canary Islanders, who are battling to avoid the drop from the top flight in Spain.

First half goals from Luis Suarez and Neymar, with a Willian Jose goal for the home side sandwiched between, proved enough for the Catalan giant.

But Suarez, who has moved to 41 goals for the season, admitted that tiredness after three games in a week had been a factor.

"You need to suffer if you want to win titles," he told the official Barcelona website.

"The last two away trips have presented plenty of difficulties, but we've got the three points again."

"We have played a lot of games in the last month and a half. But the players want to play and enjoy continuity. Even when we struggle in matches, we still enjoy ourselves," added the Uruguayan ace.

It was an eighth straight league win for Barca, coming hard on the heels of a tough battle at Sporting Gijon in midweek where Lionel Messi scored his 300th La Liga goal.

The Argentina ace was quieter after his heroics there and in the 6-1 rout of Celta Vigo where he famously passed from the penalty spot for Suarez to complete his hat-trick.

But Messi still had a hand in Neymar's eventual winner although Las Palmas might have drawn level in a frenetic finish as excellent goalkeeping from Claudio Bravo and wasted chances denied the home side.

Barca's closest challengers Atletico Madrid can cut the gap to six points with a home win over Villarreal Sunday while third-placed Real Madrid, now 10 points adrift of Barca, travels to Malaga.

Luis Enrique's team next faces Arsenal at the Emirates in the Champions League last 16 first leg Tuesday