FC Barcelona News
Barcelona Made to Fight for It
February 5th, 2012FC Barcelona gained what was ultimately a battling win against Real Sociedad at home on Saturday night. Cristian Tello and Messi got the goals for the home team, while Carlos Vela pulled one back for the Basque visitors. It was a match that Barça controlled for long spells, creating plenty of chances, but when the score went to 2-1 late in the second half Guardiola’s needed to show some grit to ensure the win.
There were some relatively unfamiliar names on the Barcelona teamsheet. Joining recent B graduates like Cuenca and Thiago were Jonathan dos Santos and Cristian Tello, giving the team a youthful look on a bitterly cold night at the Camp Nou.
Their integration appeared seamless. Barring a couple of excellent point-blank saves from Ifrán by Valdés in the opening minutes, Barcelona dominated the ball and cut through Real Sociedad’s defence with impressive regularity.
The onslaught began as early as the 5th minute, when Cesc scrambled the ball through to Messi, but Bravo rushed out to make a reaction stop. The Chilean ‘keeper had to be at his best to keep Real Sociedad in the match, making impressive saves from Thiago and Messi.
There was little he could do about the opener, after just eight minutes – Messi brought the ball forward on one of his bustling diagonal dribbles from right to left, and spotted Cristian Tello hovering on the shoulder of right-back Carlos Martínez. Messi’s through-pass was pinpoint accurate and Tello latched onto the ball with remarkable pace and tucked it under Bravo with his first touch. It was a goal that lived up the player’s burgeoning reputation.
From there on Barcelona was dominant, squeezing Real Sociedad high up the pitch and attacking with speed and invention. The scoreline could have been three or four more than the 1-0 at the half-time whistle – Fábregas flicked a shot over the bar from 15 yards after being posted through by Messi, and Alves pounced on a loose ball just before half-time but pulled a low shot wide of the far post.
Real Sociedad returned with more purpose after the break. Griezmann was released and managed to outmuscle last-man Mascherano, but Valdés made a crucial point-blank save.
At the other end the chances continued to flow, including a bizarre goal ruled out for offside when a Tello strike deflected in off Alves, who was standing on the goal-line in an offside position. With 20 minutes to go, Alves made amends by picking out Messi in the area with a sumptuous lofted pass, and Messi took his opportunity with typical coolness.
Things then took a sour turn for Barça – Vela pulled one back with a composed finish after latching onto a Griezmann pass, and Busquets, on for Jonathan, picked up what looked like a nasty knee injury after colliding accidentally with Carlos Martínez. Real Sociedad went looking for an equaliser as the minutes ticked down, but Barcelona held firm for a vital three points.
1-0 Tello (min 8 )
2-0 Messi (min 71)
2-1 Carlos Vela (min 73)
Barcelona held to surprise draw in San Sebastián
September 11th, 2011FC Barcelona let slip a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 away at Real Sociedad on Saturday evening. Guardiola’s men had been in total control by half time, leading through goals by Xavi and Fàbregas, but two moments of defensive sloppiness allowed their Basque opponents back into the match.
Blessed with a squad that handle a certain amount of rotation, Guardiola had clearly looked upon this trip to San Sebastián as an opportunity to rest some of his prized talents following a busy international fortnight. This time Iniesta, Villa and Messi all took to the bench, with Sánchez, Fàbregas and Pedro forming an unorthodox front-line. Barça also returned to a 4-3-3, after the successful switch to a three-man defence against Villareal two weeks prior.
Here Barcelona started the first half with real purpose, opening the scoring within the first ten minutes; Cesc dropped deep and spotted the run of Alexis Sánchez, finding him completely free in the area with a ball over the top. The Chilean squared for Xavi, who finished with ease into the empty net.
Just two minutes later, Barcelona extended their lead with a similar move. This time Xavi provided the impetus, clipping a sumptuous lofted pass over the static Sociedad defence for Cesc. The former Arsenal man then laid the ball on for Pedro, before reacting first to Claudio Bravo’s save to finish with ease from seven yards.
Barring a muted call for a penalty when a shot from just outside the area collided with Andreu Fontàs’ shoulder, Real Sociedad offered little attacking threat in the first half. Really, Barça were comfortable, and might have added another goal when yet another high ball from Cesc found Pedro, who saw his attempted lob deflected wide by Bravo.
The second half was a remarkably different contest; Sociedad took to the field with renewed purpose, while a mixture of tiredness and complacency from Barça offered their opponents a route back into the match.
The warning signs were there right from the restart, when Imanol Agirretxe found some space in the Barcelona area before dragging a shot wide on the turn. Barcelona responded with a couple of half chances, for Pedro and Villa, on for the injured Alexis, but the home side was growing in confidence.
Sociedad’s first goal came via a swirling Xavi Prieto cross from the right flank. The flight of the ball caught Sergio Busquets slightly flat-footed, and Agirretxe was able to head the ball home practically unopposed.
Just a few seconds later it was David Villa’s turn to make a gaffe, when he turned just inside the Sociedad half and aimed an ill-advised back pass at Víctor Valdés. Agirretxe latched onto the ball, rounded Valdés and struck the crossbar, but Griezmann was on hand to head the ball home.
Guardiola threw Messi on in search of a winner, but Sociedad were now playing with confidence, and Barcelona had to settle for an unwelcome draw.
0-1 Xavi (min 9)
0-2 Cesc (min 11)
1-2 Agirretxe (min 59)
2-2 Griezman (min 61)
La Liga 2011/12 – standings after week 2
September 2nd, 2011Barcelona sits in second place in the league after their first match of the 2011/12 La Liga championship, which thanks to the player’s strike is confusingly the second fixture of the season. Now that the dispute has been resolved we can look forward to a thrilling season as both Barça and Real Madrid demonstrated, winning 5-0 and 6-0 respectively.
You can check availability of FC Barcelona tickets for Spanish League matches from Simply Barcelona Tickets.
This weekend sees a break in league football due to international duties, which sees Spain playing Chile in a friendly tonight in Switzerland and the following weekend Barça plays Real Sociedad in their first away match of the season.
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
|
1
|
Real Madrid |
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
6
|
0
|
3
|
|
2
|
Barcelona |
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
5
|
0
|
3
|
|
3
|
Valencia |
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
4
|
3
|
3
|
|
4
|
Real Sociedad |
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
|
5
|
Sevilla |
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
|
6
|
Betis |
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
3
|
|
7
|
Mallorca |
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
3
|
|
8
|
Athletic Bilbao |
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
|
9
|
Levante |
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
|
10
|
Getafe |
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
|
11
|
Rayo Vallecano |
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
|
12
|
Atlético Madrid |
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
13
|
Osasuna |
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
14
|
Racing Santander |
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
4
|
0
|
|
15
|
Málaga |
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
0
|
|
16
|
Sporting Gijón |
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
0
|
|
17
|
Espanyol |
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
|
18
|
Granada |
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
|
19
|
Villarreal |
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
5
|
0
|
|
20
|
Zaragoza |
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
6
|
0
|
Barcelona Slip Against Spirited Sociedad
May 2nd, 2011FC Barcelona fell to a 2-1 defeat at Real Sociedad on Saturday evening. The Basque team capitalised on two defensive slips to condemn Barça to a first league defeat since September and boost their own fight against relegation. Substitute Diego Ifrán tapped home from close range, and Xabi Prieto converted a penalty to cancel out Thiago’s opener for the away team.
Barça will feel also somewhat aggrieved after a legitimate Milito goal was disallowed for offside when the match was finely poised at 1-1. Despite this frustration the result means that the picture remains unchanged at the top thanks to Real Madrid’s latest home defeat, this time at the hands of Real Zaragoza.
Pep Guardiola elected to field a smattering of young Barcelona B talent ahead of the crucial Champions League semi-final second leg at the Camp Nou on Tuesday. Andreu Fontàs, Martín Montoya and Thiago all provided a glimpse of the next generation.
Barcelona were largely superior early on and fashioned two quick chances, with Messi smashing a volley just wide and Afellay forcing a smart save from ‘keeper Claudio Bravo. Montoya then had his game sadly cut short after a foul by Xabi Prieto.
There was little to trouble Pinto at the other end, apart from a half-chance for Raúl Tamudo. The former Espanyol man almost notched a goal against his old rivals, directing a lobbed Griezmann pass inches past the post.
Just before the half hour mark, the mounting Barça pressure told; Xavi fired a 20-yard pass along the ground to Messi. For once in his career the Argentine failed to bring the ball under control, but young Thiago Alcántara was quickest to react and found the back of the net via a touch from Claudio Bravo and the underside of the crossbar.
By half time it looked like Guardiola’s men were taking another comfortable step towards a third successive title, but Real Sociedad came out for the second 45 with renewed purpose. Within minutes they were looking dangerous from set pieces; Pinto half-cleared a Griezmann free kick and Estrada went just wide with a long-range volley.
Barça’s defence was starting to look a little indecisive, and this was especially evident for the Erreala equaliser. After a scramble following one of many high crosses, substitute Diego Ifrán escaped the attentions of young Andreu Fontàs to find the net with his first touch of the game.
This goal was followed by the game’s most contentious moment. Gabriel Milito stooped to head home a teasing Xavi delivery at the back post, but the assistant’s flag was raised instantly. Replays suggested the Argentine defender was level.
Real Sociedad took the lead a few minutes later when a tentative exchange of passes between Mascherano, Alves and Pinto handed dangerous possession to Sociedad. Griezmann was felled by Mascherano and Xabi Prieto stepped up to squeeze home a tame penalty.
Although the defeat was frustratingly preventable, Barça’s lead at the top still looks unassailable.
0-1, Thiago (min 29)
1-1, Ifrán (min 71)
2-1, Xabi Prieto (pen, min 82)
Barça demolishes Real Sociedad
December 13th, 2010FC Barcelona continued to demolish of the rest of La Liga, with another spectacular victory last night. This time they faced Real Sociedad, and once again the score was 5-0.
The first goal came in the eighth minute from David Villa, but Barça kept on the pressure to go 2-0 up by half time. Back on after the break was an almost immediate goal from Leo Messi; and then it took until close to the end to see two more goals in rapid succession, with another from Messi in minute 86, and a final goal in the 90th from Bojan.
Barcelona remain two points ahead of Real Madrid, who won their match against Real Zaragoza. The Catalans will be looking for Madrid to lose some points soon and allow them to open up the gap as the first half of the season draws to a close in mid of January.
1-0 Villa (min 8 )
2-0 Iniesta (min 32)
3-0 Messi (min 46)
4-0 Messi (min 86)
5-0 Bojan (min 90)
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
|
1
|
Barcelona |
15
|
13
|
1
|
1
|
46
|
8
|
40
|
|
2
|
Real Madrid |
15
|
12
|
2
|
1
|
38
|
12
|
38
|
|
3
|
Villarreal |
15
|
9
|
3
|
3
|
27
|
13
|
30
|
|
4
|
Espanyol |
15
|
9
|
1
|
5
|
17
|
17
|
28
|
|
5
|
Valencia |
14
|
7
|
3
|
4
|
19
|
15
|
24
|
|
6
|
Atlético Madrid |
15
|
7
|
2
|
6
|
24
|
19
|
23
|
|
7
|
Getafe |
15
|
7
|
2
|
6
|
23
|
20
|
23
|
|
8
|
Athletic Bilbao |
15
|
7
|
1
|
7
|
23
|
26
|
22
|
|
9
|
Real Sociedad |
15
|
7
|
1
|
7
|
21
|
24
|
22
|
|
10
|
Mallorca |
15
|
6
|
3
|
6
|
15
|
17
|
21
|
|
11
|
Sevilla |
15
|
6
|
2
|
7
|
21
|
26
|
20
|
|
12
|
Hércules |
15
|
5
|
3
|
7
|
18
|
22
|
18
|
|
13
|
Deportivo |
15
|
4
|
5
|
5
|
12
|
18
|
17
|
|
14
|
Racing Santander |
15
|
5
|
2
|
8
|
13
|
23
|
17
|
|
15
|
Osasuna |
14
|
4
|
3
|
7
|
12
|
17
|
15
|
|
16
|
Levante |
15
|
4
|
3
|
8
|
17
|
24
|
15
|
|
17
|
Almería |
15
|
2
|
7
|
6
|
13
|
22
|
13
|
|
18
|
Málaga |
15
|
4
|
1
|
10
|
20
|
32
|
13
|
|
19
|
Sporting Gijón |
15
|
2
|
5
|
8
|
12
|
23
|
11
|
|
20
|
Zaragoza |
15
|
1
|
6
|
8
|
14
|
27
|
9
|
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