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Neymar says he played 'one of my best games for Barca' after four-goal haul

Neymar said he played one of his best games in a Barcelona shirt after scoring four times in Saturday's 5-2 La Liga win over Rayo Vallecano at the Camp Nou.

Neymar grabbing his first four-goal haul -- a poker in Spanish -- by winning and converting two first-half penalties, then twice finishing clinically after good work from strike partner Luis Suarez -- before finally laying on his team's final goal for Suarez.

The former Santos starlet told Canal Plus after the game that the performance was up there with his best showings since joining Barca in summer 2013.

"I am happy for the victory, for the goals, and for how we played," Neymar said. "Congratulations to all my teammates.

"It is one of my best games for Barca. In the top 10 for sure."

Paco Jemez's Rayo played their usual 'brave' style when visiting the Camp Nou, and went 1-0 up early on through ex-Cardiff striker Javi Guerra, but as usual Barca's greater attacking power told in the end, even though Rayo midfielder Jozabed scored a late consolation.

Neymar said Rayo's all-out attacking style had caused Barca some problems, but the Brazilian said he and his teammates had gotten the job done in the end.

"It is very difficult to play against Rayo, they have quality players and it was a bit difficult for us," he said. "But we have done our work and got the win."

Having missed from the spot against Las Palmas recently, in the game in which usual taker Lionel Messi injured ligaments in this knee, Neymar has now scored three penalties in his last two club outings.

The 23-year-old said he had changed his penalty-taking style recently, but he would not give away any secrets for opposition goalkeepers to take advantage.

"I can't tell you as then the [other] keepers would learn," Neymar said. "But it something I work on and practice with Marc [Ter Stegen], Claudio [Bravo] and Jordi [Masip]."

Asked at his postmatch news conference for two words to describe Neymar, the Blaugrana coach did not respond exactly but praised all of his attackers.

"Im-pressive," said Luis Enrique in a joke which works just as well in Spanish as in English. "He is electric and the defence can either stop him with a foul or he scores. Neymar is a decisive player, the same as Luis Suarez, Sandro and Munir, who were also very accurate."

Barca, who were again without injured talisman Lionel Messi, appeared to be on the ropes for long stages of the game, with Rayo having more of the ball and appearing to control the midfield.

"We were losing confidence for not being able to control the ball," Luis Enrique accepted. "We had clear chances to score, and Rayo made it into a game of up and down, when they were behind. We look at possession [stats] based on the score. Against Rayo I am not at all bothered about not having more possession of the ball. We accept that, we will take it if we score five goals."

Former Spain centre-back Jemez has this week been linked with succeeding Vicente Del Bosque as La Roja coach after Euro 2016, and also been mentioned in connection with the Barca job in the past, and Luis Enrique said his friend deserved a chance in a bigger job.

"I do not know if they are the bravest, because there is also Celta [Vigo]," Luis Enrique said. "Every game we play against Rayo has a very similar script, very difficult. I value Paco a lot, as we were teammates. He was a committed defender and he makes his team play better all the time. Rayo's supporters have been enjoying having him for years. I am a fan of his and would like to see him at a big team."

Two more goals against means Barca having now conceded 11 goals in their first eight La Liga games -- at this stage last season they had yet to even give up one goal.

"Of course we must improve," Luis Enrique said. "Rayo's first goal we made a slip in concentration at a set piece. We must improve that."