Atletico Madrid 2-1 Barcelona
Barça lose unbeaten recored in La Liga on Sunday
FC Barcelona were beaten for the first time in the league this season by Atlético de Madrid on Sunday evening after Diego Forlán and Simão Sabrosa netted for the hosts in the Vicente Calderón.
Barcelona suffered its first league defeat of the season.
Atletico’s Jose Antonio Reyes dribbled past two men before sending a long pass through for Diego Forlan, who shot first time past Victor Valdes in the 10th minute.
Simao Sabrosa scored Atletico’s second when he curled a freekick into the right-hand corner of the net in the 23rd minute, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic volleyed in unmarked at the far post from a Barcelona corner just four minutes later.
Barcelona remains top, on 55 points from 22 matches, but Real Madrid, which beat Xerez 3-0 on Saturday, is only two points behind. Atletico is 11th on 27 points.
Barcelona Beats Getafe
Barcelona 2-1 Getafe
Barça showed they know how to fight to a win tonight, beating Getafe 2-1 with goals from Messi and Xavi, despite playing more than an hour with just 10 men after Pique was sent off on 25 minutes and finishing with 9 after Marquez also saw red.
9-man Barcelona came out 2-1 winners against Getafe at the Camp Nou through goals from Lionel Messi and Xavi. Roberto Soldado scored a late penalty, but it was no more than a consolation goal.
Messi celebrate his goal against Getafe
Lionel Messi was in scintillating form as he scored a goal and set up another to help 10-man Barcelona beat Getafe 2-1 in the Spanish league on Saturday.
Messi scored his 16th league goal of the season in the sixth minute, curling in a shot with his left foot after Yaya Toure had set him up following a corner.
In the 67th, the Argentina forward dribbled from the halfway line into the goalkeeper’s area before laying the ball on for Xavi Hernandez to score.
Roberto Soldado scored for Getafe with an injury-time penalty after Rafael Marquez was sent off for bringing down Kepa Blanco.
The result sends Barcelona eight points clear at the top with 55 points. Real Madrid, second on 47, plays Espanyol later. Third-place Valencia beat Valladolid 2-0 earlier to reach 42 points.
“It was an unusual game, we were a man down from the first half onward,” said Barcelona’s Gabriel Milito. “But we’re happy with the result, despite the penalty at the end.”
Messi nearly scored again in the 16th when he managed to control the ball yet could only manage a weak shot.
Two minutes later he threatened yet again after swapping passes with Maxwell and then Zlatan Ibrahimovic, although goalkeeper Jordi Codina got a foot to the Argentina forward’s strike.
With the goal lead and control of possession Barcelona looked comfortable. However, the champions suffered a setback in the 25th when defender Gerard Pique was ejected for a late tackle on Getafe’s Rafael Lopez. Xavi Hernandez was booked for dissent after a lengthy protest by Barcelona’s players.
With Getafe seeing more of the ball, Nicolas “Miku” Ladislao drew two fine saves in a row from Victor Valdes.
Barcelona struck back when Ibrahimovic rounded Codina and his goalbound shot from a tight angle on the right was just intercepted by Lopez.
Early in the second half Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola bolstered the midfield to make up for the numerical disadvantage, replacing Ibrahimovic, who has not scored in the last five league games, with Sergio Busquets.
Seydou Keita should have scored soon after, shooting wide when through with only Codina to beat from close range.
Sporting Gijon 0-1 Barcelona
Barca opened the second half of the league season with yet another win- beating Sporting in Gijon thanks to a first half goal from Pedro in a game they could easily have won by a much wider margin.
The game in El Molinon was never going to be easy, but Barca overcame Sporting’s physical approach, the pouring rain and the muddy pitch which hardly helped their passing game to take three more points and extend their fantastic unbeaten league run, thanks to yet another decisive goal from Pedro,
the Blaugrana extended their lead at the top of the table.
Barcelona started the stronger of the two sides, dominating possession from the off, but los Rojiblancos were trying to stifle their illustrious opponents by pressurising them across the pitch.
Andres Iniesta almost broke his duck for the season after some excellent build up play through the middle of the pitch in the 12th minute, but the shot was saved. From the resulting corner, Zlatan Ibrahimovic hit the post with his header before the rebound was tucked home, but the Swede was correctly adjudged to have been offside.
Sporting had an opportunity when Carles Puyol put the ball behind for a corner in the 17th minute, but the set piece was poorly executed. Minutes later, Miguel de las Cuevas played Mate Bilic into space, but the Croatian could only drag his shot wide.
It was a warning sign for the Blaugrana, who were looking more exposed in defence with Puyol moved to right back in the absence of Dani Alves. At the other end, Ibrahimovic was showing no signs of improving his recent poor form as he blazed a shot over the bar from inside the penalty area.
On the half hour mark, Barcelona took a quick free kick, albeit from the wrong position, and from Iniesta’s through ball, Pedro raced clear and tucked the ball home for the opening goal. Sporting protested at the location in which the free kick was taken, but referee Paradas Romero allowed the goal to stand.
New Victory
Spanish leader Barcelona finish the first half of the league season unbeaten
Xavi Hernandez and Daniel Alves scored for the defending champion in the first half and Lionel Messi added the third as Barcelona comfortably won its third game in a row—having outscored opponents 12-0 during that span.
Barcelona extended their lead at the top of La Liga to eight points with a routine victory over hard-working Real Valladolid. Xavi and Dani Alves scored a brace of goals within two minutes and Lionel Messi completed the scoring in the second half.
The Blaugrana counter-attacked with speed and precision as Dani Alves was set free on the right hand side, and Xavi burst into the penalty area to volley home spectacularly for his first league goal of the season.
Incredibly, the lead was doubled less than 90 seconds later. Dani Alves’ cross was meant for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but instead it looped over Villar and into the far corner. It was a hammer blow for los Blanquivioletas, who would have been pleased with their opening 20 minutes.
As the half wore on, Barcelona looked happy to hold onto the ball and make the hosts work hard to try and win possession back. In the 56th minute, Alves crossed for Thierry Henry but Villar saved the Frenchman’s acrobatic overhead kick.
Moments later, Villar was beaten for a third time. Alves sent a ball in for Ibrahimovic, who laid the ball back for Messi to guide into the far corner.
Barcelona saw out two minutes of injury time to complete the victory and remain unbeaten at the halfway point of the season – which no other Barcelona side has done – while also extending their lead at the top of the table.
Points shared
Barcelona 1-1 Villarreal
Barca began 2010 with a home draw against Villarreal in a game in which tactics played a big part. A competitive Villarreal drew level in the second half after Pedro had put Barca one up early on.
Pedro and David Fuster were on the score sheet at the Camp Nou, as the league leaders were held to a draw.
Pep Guardiola chose to rest Lionel Messi by not including him in the squad at all, while Jonathan Dos Santos earned a start, and Gabriel Milito made the bench. Nilmar led the line for Villarreal, with Joseba Liorente, Giuseppe Rossi and Robert Pires all substitutes.
Barcelona dominated the early stages, and it came as little surprise when they opened the scoring after just seven minutes. Some neat build-up play saw the ball find its way to Daniel Alves on the right, and the Brazilian’s cross was smashed onto the bar by Thierry Henry. Pedro, however, was alert to the rebound, and he fired home to give the Blaugrana the lead.
Barca continued to monopolise possession after taking the lead, and although they were not creating too many chances, they still looked by far the more likely team to score. On 25 minutes, Henry came close again, but his header was saved by Diego Lopez just before it crossed the line. Minutes later, the visitors had their first chance of the match, when David Fuster inexplicably headed Cani’s cross over from inches out.
Villarreal had the first chance of the second half, but Fuster once again blazed over, this time having been played through by Nilmar. However, he did not have to wait long to get another opportunity, and this time he made no mistake. Cani swung a ball in from the right, and Fuster was on hand at the far post to tuck it past a helpless Valdes.
“We knew this was the worst team for us to play at the start of the year, we all know Barcelona has won everything … and we’re very happy with the draw,” Fuster said. “I think our goal in the second half did them a lot of damage.
Barcelona leads with 40 points. Real Madrid is next with 37 and can go level at the top if it beats Osasuna on Sunday.
