Barcelona - NouCamp Faithful

[lacoruna69]

Real Sociedad 3 - 2 Barcelona : Sociedad stun Barca

Real Sociedad hit back from two goals down to beat 10-man Barcelona 3-2 and end their unbeaten Primera Division record in stunning fashion at the Anoeta.

All looked to be going to plan for Tito Vilanova's visitors when Lionel Messi and Pedro Rodriguez put them two goals up within 25 minutes.

But Gonzalo Castro's brilliant strike gave Sociedad hope before half-time and then, after Barca had lost centre-back Gerard Pique to a red card, Castro's curling effort was deflected into his own net by Barca substitute Javier Mascherano.

That sent the home fans wild, but it got even better in stoppage time when Imanol Agirretxe poked Carlos Martinez's cross from the right past Victor Valdes.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

[lacoruna69]

Barcelona 5 - 1 Osasuna : Irrepressible Messi routs Osasuna

Lionel Messi celebrated another goalscoring milestone with four more as Barcelona demolished 10-man Osasuna 5-1 at the Nou Camp.
The Argentinian went one better than great rival Cristiano Ronaldo's hat-trick earlier in the evening as he was part of a Barca side who utterly outclassed woefully inferior opposition.

His second was his 200th goal in the Primera Division, another landmark feat in his ever-growing list of achievements.

The fourth brought his total in the league this term to 33 and he is on track to match last season's barely-believable 50. Seventeen more are needed from 17 games; only for Messi would that be considered simple.

And next up for him, albeit in the Copa Del Rey semi-finals: Real Madrid at the Bernabeu on Wednesday.

Pedro was also on target for the Catalans, while Raoul Loe briefly levelled for Osasuna before Alejandro Arribas' sending-off after 27 minutes made their task an almost impossible one.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

[lacoruna69]

Real Madrid 1 - 1 Barcelona : Varane keeps Real hopes alive

Real Madrid and Barcelona have it all to play for in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final after an entertaining stalemate at the Bernabeu.
Both sides had plenty of chances during an enthralling first half but the opener did not arrive until five minutes into the second period when Cesc Fabregas latched onto Lionel Messi's through ball to fire past Diego Lopez.

Madrid got the equaliser their performance merited nine minutes from time when the game's outstanding performer, Raphael Varane, rose to head home Mesut Ozil's cross.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

[lacoruna69]

Valencia 1 - 1 Barcelona : Valdes rescues point for Barca

Barcelona were indebted to goalkeeper Victor Valdes for producing two super saves to secure a 1-1 draw from a tough assignment against Valencia at the Mestalla.

The visitors had the opportunity to establish an 18-point gap over arch-rivals Real Madrid following the capital club's shock loss at Granada last night, but turned in a performance well below their usual high standards as Valencia were unfortunate not to take the win.

Ever Banega opened the scoring with the first shot of the match after 33 minutes, but Valencia's lead lasted just five minutes as Lionel Messi fired home from the penalty spot after Pedro had gone to ground in the area under the challenge of Joao Pereira.

Valencia came closest to winning the match in the second half but Valdes produced two saves out of the top drawer to first deny Sergio Canales and then the dangerous Roberto Soldado.

The draw saw Barca establish a 12-point lead over second-placed Atletico Madrid ahead of their late kick-off against Real Betis.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

[lacoruna69]

Barcelona 6 - 1 Getafe : Barca hit Getafe for six

Barcelona made light of the early kick-off time as they continued their seemingly unstoppable march towards the Primera Division title with an emphatic 6-1 victory over Getafe at the Nou Camp.

Alexis Sanchez opened the scoring with his first goal of the season after less than six minutes and Lionel Messi celebrated putting pen to paper on his two-year contract extension earlier this week by notching - for the 13th straight game in La Liga - on 13 minutes.

David Villa's neat finish made it 3-0 in the 57th minute and substitute Cristian Tello added another 11 minutes from time. Getafe substitute Alvaro Vazquez then grabbed a consolation for the visitors but there was still time for Andres Iniesta and Gerard Pique to add further gloss to the scoreline for the hosts.

The result lifted Barca provisionally 12 points clear of Atletico Madrid and restored the leaders' 16-point advantage over third-placed champions Real Madrid.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

[lacoruna69]

Granada 1 - 2 Barcelona : Messi reaches another Barca milestone

Lionel Messi struck his 300th and 301st goals for Barcelona as the Primera Division leaders overturned a half-time deficit to win 2-1 at plucky Granada.

Barca dominated possession for the first 25 minutes, but were stunned when Odion Ighalo put the hosts ahead at the Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes.

Messi tapped in a deserved equaliser five minutes into the second half, though, and then curled in a trademark free-kick 17 minutes from time to complete the turnaround and move Barca 15 points clear at the summit.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

[lacoruna69]

AC Milan 2 - 0 Barcelona : Barca have Milan mountain to climb

AC Milan took a surprise first-leg lead in their Champions League last-16 tie against Barcelona as they claimed a deserved 2-0 win.

While Barca top the Primera Division by 12 points, Milan lie third in Serie A - but Kevin-Prince Boateng's controversial opening goal set the Italians on their way at the San Siro.

And Sulley Muntari's superb second put Massimiliano Allegri's side firmly in the driving seat ahead of March 12's return leg at the Camp Nou.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

[lacoruna69]

Barcelona 2 - 1 Sevilla : Messi helps Barca bounce back

Lionel Messi scored for the 15th consecutive Primera Division game as Barcelona bounced back from their midweek Champions League defeat with a 2-1 victory over Sevilla.

AC Milan hold a commanding 2-0 lead after the first leg of their last-16 tie but Saturday's match at the Nou Camp saw normal service resumed as a strong second-half display ended with Barcelona 15 points ahead of Atletico Madrid who play on Sunday.

However, it was Sevilla who took the lead through Alberto Botia in the 42nd minute before two goals in eight minutes turned the game on its head.

David Villa equalised when he nodded home in the 52nd minute on his return from a kidney stone operation before Messi scored his 38th league goal of the season eight minutes later.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

[lacoruna69]

Barcelona 1 - 3 Real Madrid : Real reach the final

2nd Leg: 2 - 4 (Agg)

Real Madrid crushed bitter rivals Barcelona on their own turf in the Camp Nou to reach the Copa del Rey final.

Cristiano Ronaldo was the inspiration with two goals and defender Raphael Varane scored his second of the tie before Jordi Alba netted for Barcelona.

Madrid go on to face either Sevilla or Atletico Madrid in the final, with their city rivals taking a 2-1 aggregate lead into Wednesday's second leg.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

[lacoruna69]

Real Madrid 2 - 1 Barcelona : Ramos heads late winner

Real Madrid cut the gap between them and Barcelona to 13 points with a morale boosting win over the Catalans at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Karim Benzema gave Los Blancos an early lead but Lionel Messi levelled just over 10 minutes later to become the joint-top scorer of all time in the Clasico.

Sergio Ramos headed in a corner to restore Madrid's lead with nine minutes remaining, and Victor Valdes was sent off on the final whistle for a second yellow card after arguing with referee Miguel Angel Perez Lasa.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

[lacoruna69]

Barcelona 2 - 0 Deportivo La Coruña : Rotated Barca earn win

Barcelona rang the changes ahead of next week's Champions League clash with AC Milan but still picked up a comfortable 2-0 Primera Division win over Deportivo La Coruna at the Nou Camp.

Lionel Messi, Gerard Pique and Andres Iniesta were among those excused duty against the league's bottom side, but the reserves enjoyed near total dominance in the first period, the only surprise being that Alexis Sanchez's 38th-minute goal was all they had to show for it.

Messi and Iniesta were sent on to close out the victory in the second half and combined for the second goal, a superb Messi finish for his 40th league goal of the season.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

[lacoruna69]

Barcelona 4 - 0 AC Milan : Barcelona complete great escape

2nd Leg: 4 - 2 (Agg)

Lionel Messi put in another astonishing display to lead Barcelona to the quarter final of the Champions League following a dominant display against AC Milan at the Nou Camp.

Two goals down from the first leg, Messi was on target after just five minutes and although Christian Abbiati was at his best to repel the home side, he could do little to stop Messi doubling Barca's lead five minutes before the break.

David Villa - preferred by Jordi Roura to Cesc Fabregas - scored a vital third before Jordi Alba's injury time strike settled the tie.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

[lacoruna69]

Barcelona 3 - 1 Rayo Vallecano : Vallecano can't handle Barca

Lionel Messi and David Villa combined to devastating effect to see off Rayo Vallecano 3-1 and help Barcelona restore their 13-point lead at the top of La Liga.

Rayo could not handle the partnership which accounted for all three goals - Messi netting twice after Villa had opened the scoring.

The visitors remain in mid-table but can feel satisfied with an enterprising display which saw them create numerous chances before Raul Tamudo grabbed a late consolation.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

[lacoruna69]

Celta Vigo 2 - 2 Barcelona : Messi makes history as Barca draw

Lionel Messi again made history but his goal was not enough to earn Barcelona a win over relegation-threatened Celta Vigo as they drew 2-2.

The Argentina international is no stranger to treading new ground and his 73rd-minute goal meant he has scored in 19 successive Primera Division matches.

In doing so he has found the net against every other side in the competition - the first player to ever do that in consecutive matches - and he has 29 goals from his last 19.

It would not be the winner, though, with Borja Oubina`s late header earning Celta a point, with Naxto Insa`s opener having been earlier scrubbed out by Cristian Tello`s goal.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

[lacoruna69]

Paris Saint-Germain 2 - 2 Barcelona : PSG peg back Barca with late lifeline

(1st Leg)

Barcelona scored two away goals but were twice pegged back in a dramatic Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Parc des Princes.

Lionel Messi gave Barca a half-time lead, a goal owing much to Dani Alves' vision, before departing with a hamstring injury at the interval.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic controversially equalised against his former club and though Xavi's late penalty looked to have ensured a first-leg lead for Barca, Blaise Matuidi made it 2-2 with a deflected last kick of the match.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)