Barcelona - NouCamp Faithful

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BATE Borisov 0 - 2 Barcelona : Ivan Rakitic comes off bench to guide Barcelona to victory

Barcelona strengthened their position at the top of Champions League Group E as a brace from substitute Ivan Rakitic steered them to a comfortable 2-0 win at BATE Borisov.

After dominating the first half without being able to finish off any of the string of chances they created, the defending champions broke the deadlock in the 48th minute when Rakitic blasted a shot past Syarhey Chernik from Neymar's tee-up.

The Barca pair then combined again in the 65th minute, Rakitic receiving Neymar's pass and producing a cool finish to seal the victory.

It leaves the leaders with seven points from three games and with a place in the next round looking ever-more secure, while BATE stay third in the pool with three points.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Barcelona 3 - 1 Eibar : Luis Suarez scores three for Barcelona, Neymar with two assists

Luis Suarez scored a hat trick as Barcelona came from behind to beat Eibar 3-1 and join Real Madrid at the top of the Primera Division.

The Basque minnows took a shock lead after just eight minutes through in-form Atletico Madrid loanee Borja Baston, but Suarez levelled midway through the first half.

The Uruguay international struck at the beginning and end of the second period to complete his treble and seal the three points for Barca, who had Javier Mascherano sent off as Eibar suffered their first away defeat of the season.

Luis Enrique's men share the league's summit with Madrid on 21 points thanks to the win, although they have an inferior goal difference.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Villanovense 0 - 0 Barcelona : Barcelona held to scoreless draw by third-tier minnows

1st Leg

Barcelona were held to a scoreless draw by third-tier Villanovense on Wednesday in a disappointing start to the Copa del Rey for the defending champion.

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique rested regular starters and instead played reserves.

Barcelona struggled to create many opportunities and it was Villanovense which came closest to opening the score when defender Javi Sanchez struck the crossbar with a close-range shot off a corner in the 42nd minute.

Barcelona had good chances near the end but was not able to capitalize on them.

The return cup match is Dec. 2 at Camp Nou.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Getafe 0 - 2 Barcelona : Luis Suarez, Neymar on target as Barcelona keep pace with Real Madrid

Barcelona produced a professional if not sensational performance to beat Getafe 2-0 away from home to keep the pace with Real Madrid at the top of the Primera Division.

The Catalans were frustrated by a tight Getafe defence for most of the first half but they found their way through on 38 minutes when Luis Suarez scored from close range following a stylish back heel by Sergi Roberto.

The Catalan midfielder also engineered Barca's second goal, a volley from Neymar on 58 minutes that ensured Luis Enrique's side left Madrid with the three points.

Although Barca failed to produce a top-class performance, they were always in control and a win was no more than they needed following their disappointing goalless draw against Villanovense in the Copa del Rey in mid-week, and it sees them move on to 24 points, level with Madrid at the league's summit.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Barcelona 3 - 0 BATE Borisov : Barcelona beat BATE Borisov as Neymar scores two and adds an assist

Neymar struck twice as Barcelona moved ever closer towards a place in the knockout stages of the Champions League with a 3-0 win over Group E rivals BATE Borisov.

The Brazilian forward put Barca ahead in the 30th minute from the penalty spot after substitute Munir El Haddidi went down in the area following contact from Filip Mladenovic.

The hosts almost doubled their lead five minutes later but Adriano's strike rattled the left post.

Luis Suarez made it 2-0 on the hour and was unlucky not to add another when his 68th-minute shot hit the post.

Neymar put the game beyond BATE's reach when he scored his second to earn the title holders their third successive win in the competition.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Barcelona 3 - 0 Villarreal : Neymar and Luis Suarez strike again as Barcelona beat Villarreal to top La Liga

Neymar and Luis Suarez continued their fine goal-scoring form for Barcelona as Luis Enrique's side provisionally moved top of La Liga with a hard-fought 3-0 win over Villarreal at the Camp Nou on Sunday.

The Brazil captain broke a determined Villarreal defence after a fine Sergio Busquets pass on the hour, Suarez netted from the penalty spot 10 minutes later before Neymar hit a goal-of-the-season contender with a stunning turn and volley five minutes from time.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Real Madrid 0 - 4 Barcelona : Neymar, Luis Suarez star in Clasico

Neymar and Luis Suarez continued their superb scoring run to shock Real Madrid and send Barcelona on their way to a 4-0 Clasico thrashing at the Bernabeu.

Lionel Messi was only fit enough for the Barca bench after returning from nearly two months on the sidelines with a knee injury, but Neymar and Suarez carried on their fine form with first-half strikes before Andres Iniesta and Suarez added two more after the break.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Barcelona 6 - 1 AS Roma : Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez both score twice as Barcelona rout Roma

Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar tore Roma to shreds as Barcelona heralded their Champions League glory march with a 6-1 thumping at the Camp Nou.

Messi's return after two months of injury restored Europe's most devastating attacking trio, with the Argentina forward scoring twice.

Suarez grabbed a brace of his own, with Gerard Pique and Adriano also on target as Barcelona secured top spot in Group E and a place in the last 16.

Though Neymar missed a late penalty, the Brazil striker had a hand in the two opening goals and looked threatening throughout.

Edin Dzeko had a penalty saved too, and that after heading wide from 10 yards with the game goalless, as Roma endured a night to forget.

The on-loan Manchester City striker grabbed the final word with a goal in stoppage time, but by then the visitors had long since been swept aside.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Barcelona 4 - 0 Real Sociedad : Neymar, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi fire Barelona to victory

Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar all netted as Barcelona eased to a 4-0 win over Real Sociedad, keeping them in the driving seat at the top of the Primera Division.

The Catalans had a lot to live up to after thrashing arch rivals Real Madrid 4-0 at the Bernabeu last weekend and then blitzing Roma 6-1 on Tuesday.

They did not disappoint, taking the lead midway through the first half through Neymar.

Suarez doubled their advantage a few minutes before half-time with a crashing volley and after the break Neymar struck again.

The Brazil forward laid the ball on for Messi to round off the victory, adding late gloss to a win that cements Barca's place at the top of the league, nine points clear of Madrid, who face Eibar on Sunday.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)[/QUOTE]

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Barcelona 6 - 1 Villanovense : Sandro hat trick as Barcelona crush Villanovense

2nd Leg (Barcelona wins 6-1 on agg)

Sandro Ramirez helped himself to a hat-trick as Barcelona cruised into the last 16 of the Copa del Rey with a 6-1 win over Segunda B strugglers Villanovense at the Nou Camp.

Luis Enrique's men had been held to a goalless draw in the first leg at the end of last month but despite making eight changes from the win over Real Sociedad on Saturday, they made no mistake second time round.

Villanovense went into the game on the back of five straight league losses since their heroic first leg performance, and the gulf in class was apparent from the moment Dani Alves fired home from outside the box with four minutes gone.

Munir bent a shot just wide before a dreadful error by visiting keeper Jose Fuentes allowed Ramirez in to grab his opening goal in the 20th minute.

Remarkably the visitors briefly reduced the deficit eight minutes later when Juanfran fired a superb finish past Barcelona's third keeper Jordi Masip, but normal service was soon resumed.

Within three minutes Aitor had sent through Ramirez for his second, and six minutes into the second half it was finally Munir's turn to get his name on the scoresheet when he drifted into the box to head home a Mathieu cross.

The one-sided nature of the night continued with Munir bringing a brilliant save out of Fuentes before Ramirez completed his hat-trick after 70 minutes following good work by Adriano.

And there was also time for Munir to grab his second when Ramirez turned provider, beating the visitors' defence and tricking Fuentes with an audacious back-heel to serve his teammate the simplest of chances.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Valencia 1 - 1 Barcelona : Gary Neville watches Valencia draw vs. Barcelona with dramatic equaliser

Gary Neville watched from the stands as Valencia survived a Barcelona onslaught to claim a 1-1 draw.

Luis Suarez thought he had given the leaders three points when he struck just before the hour mark, but Santiago Mina grabbed a shock equaliser five minutes from time.

Former Manchester United and England defender Neville officially takes over at the Mestalla next week, with caretaker Salvador Voro in charge against Barca alongside Phil Neville.

His new side somehow came through a one-sided first half all-square, and after Suarez finally found a way through they managed to hit back for a point.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Bayer Leverkusen 1 - 1 Barcelona : Bayer Leverkusen draw with Barcelona, eliminated from Champions League

Bayer Leverkusen could not find a winner against Barcelona as their final Champions League Group E match ended 1-1, which saw the German side fail to qualify for the last 16 and drop into the Europa League.

Leverkusen, who had not won in Europe since matchday one, could have made it through if they bettered Roma's result against BATE Borisov.

However, despite the Italians being held to a goalless draw, the Bundesliga side could not conjure up a winner, despite having plenty of chances in the second half.

Barcelona, who were already through as group winners, went ahead on 20 minutes through Lionel Messi, only for the in-form Javier Hernandez to soon equalise.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen was kept busy in the Barca goal, but Leverkusen failed to fashion a second goal, and finished third with six points behind Roma on head-to-head record.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Barcelona 2 - 2 Deportivo La Coruna : Barcelona held by Deportivo La Coruna as Lucas fires comeback

Barcelona threw away a two-goal lead against Deportivo La Coruna to draw 2-2 at the Nou Camp, dropping two vital points that could see them surrender their place at the top of the Primera Division by the end of the weekend.

A wonderful Lionel Messi free-kick saw Barca take the lead towards the end of a difficult first half and then a pile-driver from Ivan Rakitic around the hour mark looked to have sealed the points.

But, just as they did on the final day of last season to avoid relegation, Depor crept back into the game to earn a point. First Lucas Perez cut the deficit in half and then the in-form Spaniard laid the ball on for Alex Bergantinos to smash past Claudio Bravo and level, inflicting a third consecutive draw on Barcelona.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Barcelona 3 - 0 Guangzhou Evergrande : Barcelona beat Guangzhou Evergrande in Club World Cup

Barcelona eased into Sunday's Club World Cup final as Luis Suarez scored a hat trick in a 3-0 win over Guangzhou Evergrande.

Barca saw Lionel Messi ruled out shortly before the match with renal colic while Neymar, who has just recovered from a groin injury, also played no part, but Luis Enrique's European champions enjoyed a comfortable win.

"Suarez was spectacular,'' Barcelona coach Luis Enrique said. "He is very talented in difficult situations and knows what to do in those situations. We had some injuries to deal with so we had to adjust and he stepped up."

Suarez put Barcelona ahead just before half-time, hammering in a rebound off Ivan Rakitic's long-range effort that was parried by goalkeeper Li Shuai.

The striker made it 2-0 five minutes after the break when he controlled a pass from Andres Iniesta off his chest and beat Li with a brilliant right-footed volley.

He put the result beyond doubt with a penalty kick after Huang Bowen took Munir El Haddadi down in the area. That strike made the Uruguayan the first player to score a hat trick in the competition since Pele netted three for Santos against Benfica in 1962's Intercontinental Cup.

Barca will face Argentine side River Plate on Sunday as they look to become the first club to win the competition three times, having previously lifted the trophy in 2009 and 2011.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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River Plate 0 - 3 Barcelona : Barcelona beat River to win Club World Cup as Messi, Neymar, Suarez star

A goal from Lionel Messi and a double from Luis Suarez saw Barcelona beat River Plate 3-0 in Yokohama, Japan, to win the FIFA Club World Cup and cap a triumphant 2015 for the Catalan club on Sunday.

Messi opened the scoring 10 minutes before the end of a difficult first half for Barcelona, who were tested by River's intensity, but the European champions struck again early in the second period through Suarez, and the Uruguayan sealed their third world title by heading home a cross from Neymar.

Barcelona are the first team to win the trophy three times, surpassing the two titles won by Corinthians, while Messi, Andres Iniesta, Dani Alves, Sergio Busquets and Gerard Pique become the only players to collect three winners' medals.

Barca end a stellar year in which they had already collected the Primera Division title, Champions League, Copa del Rey and UEFA Super Cup, with the only trophy they failed to win being the Spanish Super Cup.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)