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.

Barcelona win at Xerez

Xerez 0-2 Barcelona

Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored Wednesday to give Barcelona a 2-0 victory at Xerez to open up a five-point lead over second-place Real Madrid in the Spanish league.

On the same day that FIFA opened a disciplinary case against Henry for a blatant hand ball that helped put France into the World Cup, the Barcelona striker turned Maxwell’s pass through the hands of goalkeeper Renan Soares in the 46th minute for his second league goal.

Ibrahimovic chipped over Renan in injury time to make up for missed chances by Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta. It was the Sweden striker’s ninth league goal.

The champions were by no means at their best but were still good enough to beat La Liga’s bottom side.

Barcelona, which played Wednesday to make up for a missed league round when it competes at the Club World Cup, has 33 points from 13 games. Madrid, which plays on Saturday against Almeria, has 28 from 12 games.

Messi, awarded the Golden Ball as Europe’s best player on Tuesday, started the match from the bench alongside Ibrahimovic, fresh from his winning volley in Sunday’s 1-0 “clasico” win over Madrid.

Barcelona plays Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday.

El Clasico For Barca

Barcelona 1-0 Real Madrid

FC BARCELONA, Spain -The cold, wet night marked the 110th anniversary of the Catalan club’s founding, and the 159th meeting between the arch rivals took on added significance following Madrid’s €250 million ($365 million) summer spending spree on the likes of Ronaldo, Kaka, Benzema and Xabi Alonso. The signings followed a record 6-2 defeat at the Bernabeu last season,FCBarcelona preserve its 61st win over its opponent – and third in a row.

After a deadlock in the first half Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored four minutes after coming on as a substitute to lead Barcelona to a 1-0 victory over Real Madrid in the season’s highly-antipated Spanish “clasico” match, and send the defending champion to the top of the Spanish league standings, moments after Barcelona’s defense had denied a Gonzalo Higuain effort when Carles Puyol had blocked Higuain’s shot, Daniel Alves found Ibrahimovic at the far post with a lofted cross in the 56th minute and the Sweden striker never broke stride as he volleyed past Iker Casillas with his left foot.

FCBacelona Lead La liga with 30 points overtaking Madrid on 28 , Sevilla is third with 26, followed by Valencia with 25 and Deportivo La Coruna , also on 25 points.

Blaugrana Win

Barcelona 4-2 Real Mallorca

Barcelona regained tone after easy win at home to Real Mallorca 4-2, although the coach Josep Guardela who started the match without Four stars Xavi and Alvis and Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi. ‘all on the substitutes’ .

The Catalans succeeded opening the scoring in their first chance on goal, 10 minutes into the game, when Zlatan Ibrahimovic picked up the ball near the edge of the box before sending a marvellous back-heel through ball to Pedro, who sent it past Aouate with ease in minute 10.

Despite their early lead, the Blaugrana got relaxed and allowed Mallorca to equalize in the 19th minute through a header from Nunes following a corner from the right.

Barcelona get back in the lead, once again through Pedro, who smashed it home following rebounds from Henry and Busquets denied by Aouate in 40 minutes.

Barça scored their third of the night just moments before the break, when Pedro sent a free-kick from the left to the far post, where Busquets headed it across the face of the goal for Thierry Henry to score with a diving header.

The second period began at a slow place, with Barcelona looking to increase their lead even more as they introduced Messi for Pedro in the 51st minute. The Argentine wizard wasted little time to show his magic, and on 58 minutes sent in a free-kick from the right to Ibrahimovic, who jumped alone but his header went slightly wide of the left post.

Both sides looked just happy to let each other play for most of the first half, and Barcelona only piled the pressure in the last ten minutes of the match, resulting in a penalty on 86 minutes after Ibrahimovic was brought down in the area, which Messi successfully converted.

But that was not the end of it, as Alhassan Keita made it 4-2 in the 92nd minute with a low finish from inside the box after being played through by Castro.

Pep Guardiola

After the Blaugrana drew their last two games

Guardiola has hit back at the side’s critics ….  After seeing his side draw with Osasuna and Rubin Kazan in the last week, Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has laughed off suggestions that the Spanish and European champions are weaker than last year.

“ In many ways, we are a better team than last year “

Pamplona clash

Barcelona 1  Osasuna 1

Osasuna tortured the champ a lot and did  everything before he can Seydou Keita from opening the scoring for the Catalan and at injury time own goal from Gerad Pique robbed Barca of victory against Osasuna after a second half goal from Keita seemed to have given them the points in a game that Guardiola’s team had plenty of chances to put away.

Barca saw two points escape with the injury time goal. Keita’s 71st minute strike appeared to have ensured the win and with Osasuna tiring, both Ibra and Messi had the chance to finish the game off, but instead it was Pique, putting through his own goal as he tried to cut out a Camuñas cross who brought about an unexpected a cruel end to the game.

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