FC Barcelona News
Barça in top form against Athletic
April 5th, 2010Barcelona put on a real show of strength on Saturday against Athletic Bilbao, ahead of one of the most pivotal weeks of the season. On Tuesday they play Arsenal in the return leg of the Champions League quarter final; and on Saturday is the showdown with Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.
As usual Barça dominated possession, although there were chances created by both sides. Barça’s first goal came in the 26th minute, when Jeffren scored his first league goal of the season from an Abidal pass. And five minutes before the break came Barcelona’s second, with a goal from Bojan.
After last week’s match against Arsenal Barcelona no doubt we not entirely comfortable with a 2-0 advantage but Bojan made it 3 goals within a few minutes of the second half. And in the 67th minute Pedro, who was brought on to replace a now injured Jeffren, passed the ball to Messi who made it 4-0.
Although Athletic got back into the game enough to score a single goal in the 76th minute, Barcelona’s victory was more than comfortable and must have given a huge confidence boost ahead of their most important week of the season to date.
While Real Madrid remain top of the table following a 2-0 victory against Racing, both teams are now waiting for the other to stumble.
1-0, Jeffren (min 26)
2-0, Bojan (min 40)
3-0, Bojan (min 58)
4-0, Messi (min 67)
4-1, Susaeta (min 76)
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
|
1
|
Real Madrid |
30
|
25
|
2
|
3
|
83
|
25
|
77
|
|
2
|
Barcelona |
30
|
24
|
5
|
1
|
75
|
19
|
77
|
|
3
|
Valencia |
30
|
16
|
8
|
6
|
48
|
30
|
56
|
|
4
|
Sevilla |
30
|
14
|
6
|
10
|
43
|
35
|
48
|
|
5
|
Mallorca |
30
|
14
|
6
|
10
|
46
|
34
|
48
|
|
6
|
Athletic Bilbao |
30
|
13
|
6
|
11
|
41
|
41
|
45
|
|
7
|
Villarreal |
30
|
12
|
7
|
11
|
45
|
41
|
43
|
|
8
|
Deportivo |
30
|
12
|
6
|
12
|
32
|
38
|
42
|
|
9
|
Getafe |
30
|
12
|
5
|
13
|
42
|
40
|
41
|
|
10
|
Atlético Madrid |
30
|
11
|
7
|
12
|
47
|
45
|
40
|
|
11
|
Sporting Gijón |
30
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
33
|
38
|
37
|
|
12
|
Almería |
30
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
32
|
39
|
37
|
|
13
|
Osasuna |
30
|
9
|
7
|
14
|
26
|
35
|
34
|
|
14
|
Espanyol |
30
|
8
|
10
|
12
|
22
|
37
|
34
|
|
15
|
Zaragoza |
30
|
8
|
8
|
14
|
37
|
53
|
32
|
|
16
|
Málaga |
30
|
7
|
10
|
13
|
34
|
38
|
31
|
|
17
|
Racing Santander |
30
|
7
|
10
|
13
|
30
|
44
|
31
|
|
18
|
Tenerife |
30
|
6
|
7
|
17
|
29
|
61
|
25
|
|
19
|
Valladolid |
30
|
4
|
12
|
14
|
30
|
53
|
24
|
|
20
|
Xerez |
30
|
5
|
8
|
18
|
26
|
52
|
23
|
For more information on FC Barcelona tickets see our homepage.
Barça beats Osasuna
March 25th, 2010Two second half goals from Ibrahimovic and Bojan secured a comfortable 2-0 victory for FC Barcelona last night at the Nou Camp.
When Barça couldn’t break the visitor’s defence, Guardiola started to change tactics. However, that had little effect until the second half, when on came Pedro and the Osasuna defence was pushed back.
That leaves Barça – temporarily at least – at the top of the table, with Real Madrid playing their match tonight.
1-0 Ibrahimovic (min 72)
2-0 Bojan (min 87)
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
|
1
|
Barcelona |
28
|
22
|
5
|
1
|
70
|
18
|
71
|
|
2
|
Real Madrid |
27
|
22
|
2
|
3
|
74
|
21
|
68
|
|
3
|
Valencia |
28
|
15
|
8
|
5
|
45
|
27
|
53
|
|
4
|
Mallorca |
28
|
14
|
5
|
9
|
45
|
32
|
47
|
|
5
|
Sevilla |
28
|
13
|
6
|
9
|
40
|
32
|
45
|
|
6
|
Athletic Bilbao |
27
|
12
|
6
|
9
|
36
|
32
|
42
|
|
7
|
Deportivo |
28
|
12
|
6
|
10
|
31
|
32
|
42
|
|
8
|
Getafe |
27
|
11
|
4
|
12
|
36
|
34
|
37
|
|
9
|
Villarreal |
28
|
10
|
7
|
11
|
40
|
41
|
37
|
|
10
|
Almería |
28
|
9
|
9
|
10
|
31
|
37
|
36
|
|
11
|
Sporting Gijón |
28
|
9
|
8
|
11
|
31
|
36
|
35
|
|
12
|
Atlético Madrid |
27
|
9
|
7
|
11
|
40
|
42
|
34
|
|
13
|
Espanyol |
28
|
8
|
8
|
12
|
21
|
36
|
32
|
|
14
|
Osasuna |
28
|
8
|
7
|
13
|
25
|
32
|
31
|
|
15
|
Racing Santander |
28
|
7
|
10
|
11
|
27
|
38
|
31
|
|
16
|
Málaga |
28
|
7
|
9
|
12
|
33
|
35
|
30
|
|
17
|
Zaragoza |
28
|
6
|
8
|
14
|
32
|
53
|
26
|
|
18
|
Valladolid |
28
|
4
|
12
|
12
|
30
|
48
|
24
|
|
19
|
Tenerife |
28
|
6
|
6
|
16
|
28
|
57
|
24
|
|
20
|
Xerez |
28
|
4
|
7
|
18
|
21
|
50
|
19
|
Barça shows Stuttgart why they’re Champions
March 18th, 2010Pep Guardiola said that his team would be looking for goals, and last night he was as good as his word; FC Barcelona’s decisive 4-0 win over Stuttgart clearly sent out a message that the Catalans intend to be there at the Madrid final on Saturday 22nd May 2010 and Barça’s fans were chanting as much last night.
Barça’s dominated possession throughout in front of a packed Nou Camp and the first goal wasn’t long in coming – in the 12th minute Leo Messi ran forward into the Stuttgart area and shot the ball over the keeper, looking almost like it wouldn’t go in. Immediately Stuttgart staged a counter attack, but it fizzled out against Barcelona’s defence.
Barça kept up the attack, which paid off again in minute 22 when an extended attack on the Stuttgart goal went rewarded with a goal from Pedro.
Barcelona continued to control the game through the rest of the first half and while there were more opportunities, nothing went home. Back on after the break, Messi continued to threaten the Germans and in the 59th minute Alves passed the ball back to Messi on the edge of the box, who put the ball into the net to make it 3-0.
Not content with what was almost certainly going to be a clear victory, Barça kept up the pressure. And when Bojan came on in place of Iniesta he was able to put his talent to good use, scoring in the 89th minute.
1-0 Messi (min 12)
2-0 Pedro (min 22)
3-0 Messi (min 59)
4-0 Bojan (min 89)
The draw for the quater finals takes place on Friday. Apart from FC Barcelona, the following teams remain in the Champions League:
Bordeaux
Inter Milan
Bayern Munich
CSKA Moscow
Lyon
Arsenal
Manchester United
We will have tickets for the home leg of the quarter finals (30/31 March and 6/7 April) although supply will be subject to UEFA ticketing regulations. For current availability of Barcelona Tickets see the home page.
FCB
Tickets