FC Barcelona News
Barça stages second half comeback to defeat Granada
February 18th, 2013Barcelona notched up another 3 points in the Spanish league on Saturday after a 2-1 win against Granada. The hosts opened the scoring, with a goal from Ighalo in the 25th minute that saw the Catalans goalless at the break, but Lionel Messi scored 2 for Barça to turn the match around.
Right from the start Granada were able to disrupt the flow of the game, but soon the visitors began to get into their stride and dominate possession. However, despite their best efforts they were unable to score.
However, back on after the break and Messi scored within a few minutes after the Granada keeper deflected a shot from Cesc. Meanwhile Barça upped the pressure and it only seemed a matter of time before they went into the lead; a goal from Pedro was disallowed, but finally, 72 minutes into the game Messi scored from a free kick.
1-0 Ighalo (min 25)
1-1 Messi (min 49)
1-2 Messi (min 72)
Goals galore against Getafe
February 11th, 2013It was goals galore at the Nou Camp on Sunday after noon when Getafe visited the stadium for a match that was unusual in that it kicked off at midday. Attendence was one of the best of the season so far and many children taken to watch Barça play. And what a treat they were in for!
Alexis opened the scoring after 5 minutes, with Messi putting the Catalans two goals ahead at the 12 minute mark and looked to have the match completely under control. All the same, it wasn’t until the second half that the next goal came, scored by David Villa to make it 3-0 and pretty much wrap the game up. However, despite the pace slowing, Tello scored a fourth for Barça 20 minutes later.
Entering the closing phase of the match Getafe were able to strike back, with Álvaro scoring one for the visitors in the 82nd minute. But the Catalans had not yet finished and two more, from Iniesta and Piqué put the final score at 6-1.
1-0 Alexis (min 5)
2-0 Messi (min 12)
3-0 Villa (min 57)
4-0 Tello (min 77)
4-1 Álvaro (min 82)
5-1 Iniesta (min 89)
6-1 Piqué (min 91)
Trip to Mestalla ends in a draw
February 4th, 2013One team that can often be relied on to put up a fight is Valencia, and so it was on Sunday evening when FC Barcelona made the trip down to play at the Mestalla.
The hosts prevented Barça from their trademark control of the ball and neither team seemed able to make a serious attempt on the goal early on but just after the half hour mark Valencia opened the scoring. Their lead was not to last long though, with Lionel Messi equalising just a few minutes later from the penalty spot after Pedro was brought down in the box.
Cesc came close to putting Barça in the lead at the start of the second half, just putting the ball wide, and when David Villa came on he came close to scoring. In the end Victor Valdes was put to work as he made a last minute save as Soldado came close to scoring.
1-0 Banega (min 32)
1-1 Messi (min 38)
Barça back on form against Osasuna
January 28th, 2013After suffering their first league defeat of the season last weekend Barcelona were back on form at the Nou Camp on Sunday when they played host to Osasuna. Jordi Roure was again in charge while Tito Vilanova undergoes treatment for cancer.
On particular form was Leo Messi, who opened the scoring in the 10th minute. While Loe equalised in minute 23 for the visitors, it was the world’s number one player who put Barça back in front. Three minutes later Arribas received his second yellow card for handling the ball inside the area and the visitors were down to 10 men, tipping the balance of the match completely; Messi scored from the penalty spot.
Pedro scored Barcelona’s third towards the end of the first half, and after the break, with a rejigged lineup for Osasuna, Messi scored the two goals of the second half 10 minutes in and then two minutes later.
1-0 Messi (min 10)
1-1 Raoul Loe (min 23)
2-1 Messi (min 27)
3-1 Pedro (min 39)
4-1 Messi (min 55)
5-1 Messi (min 57)
Barça loses first match of the season to Real Sociedad
January 21st, 2013Well, it had to happen eventually. Barcelona played Real Sociedad on Saturday night and came away with their first league defeat of the season.
It started as business as usually with goals from Messi and Pedro in the sixth and 24th minutes, but towards the end of the first half Castro scored the hosts’ first goal and put the score level fifteen minutes into the second half. However, the clincher for Real Sociedad came right at the end of the match when Agirretxe scored their winning goal in injury time.
Of course, it didn’t help that the Catalans went down to 10 men after Pique received his second yellow card at the hour mark.
0-1 Messi (min 6)
0-2 Pedro (min 24)
1-2 Castro (min 39)
2-2 Castro (min 61)
3-2 Agirretxe (min 90)
First leg of Copa del Rey quarterfinal ends in draw
January 17th, 2013Barcelona were forced to accept a draw last night at the Nou Camp when they played Malaga for the second time running, this time in the Copa del Rey.
The visitors opened the scoring with a goal in the 24th minute from Iturra. Minutes later Messi equalised, immediately followed by a goal Carles Puyol to put Barça in the lead.
However, despite Malaga being a man down for the last 15 minutes after Monreal was sent off, a late goal from Ignacio Camacho ended the match a draw. The quarter final will therefore be decided next week when the Catalans visit Malaga.
0-1 Iturra (min 24)
1-1 Messi (min 28)
2-1 Puyol (min 29)
2-2 Ignacio Camacho (min 88)
Barça continues record breaking streak against Malaga
January 14th, 2013Barça continued ploughing their way through the rest of the league on Sunday night when they won their eighteenth league match of he season.
Lionel Messi opened the scoring in the 26th minute after some sloppy play by the Malaga defence and the first half ended with a single goal. However, after the break it took just five minutes for Cesc Fabregas to score.
With 18 minutes to go Cesc came off to be replaced by Thiago, who added Barcelona’s third goal of the night in the 80th minute. With the result sealed it was Malaga’s turn to score off a free kick by Buonanotte in the closing minutes to end the night 3-1 to Barça.
0-1 Messi (min 26)
0-2 Fábregas (min 48)
0-3 Thiago (min 80)
1-3 Buonanotte (min 87)
Messi wins FIFA Ballon d’Or for 4th year running
January 8th, 2013Our congratulations to Lionel Messi, who has become the first ever player to win the FIFA Ballon d’Or four times after being crowned the 2012 winner yesterday. What adds to the magnitude of the achievement is that those awards were won on the trot.
Messi was up against Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo and team mate Andrés Iniesta, who came second and third. Last year Messi created a new record for goals scored in a calendar year, beating Gerd Müller’s long standing record, which perhaps made the choice automatic for many voters.
Dominent Barça wins city derby in first match of 2013
January 7th, 2013Barcelona’s first match of the New Year was marked by the Barcelona Derby, with city rivals Espanyol visiting the Nou Camp. Tito Vilanova was back in charge after the operation to remove a tumour on his salivary gland just before Christmas and his squad rewarded him well.
After Xavi opened the scoring in the ninth minute off Iniesta, but then Pedro scored two goals and finally Lionel Messi scored his first goal of 2013 in the 28th minute. Having reached four goals inside half an hour, the home side felt they had the game under control and eased back a little. While it looked as if they might increase their lead, Espanyol broke up the flow in the second half and Pedro, looking as if he would make his hat trick, had two goals ruled offside.
1-0 Xavi (min 9)
2-0 Pedro (min 14)
3-0 Pedro (min 26)
4-0 Messi (min 28)
Barcelona ends 2012 with 3-1 win against Valladolid
December 24th, 2012Things have gone so well with FC Barcelona since Tito Vilanova took over as coach that it was inevitable that at some point something had to go wrong. Unfortunately has gone wrong is the return of Vilanova’s salivary gland cancer, requiring urgent surgery this week. He is due to undergo six weeks of chemo and radiotherapy after which he plans in returning to the job. We wish him a speedy recovery. Some good news regarding Eric Abidal, who prior to this bad news being announced was given the all clear by doctors after undergoing a liver transplant.
On Saturday night Barça played away at Valladolid with goals from Xavi, Messi and Tello, while Javi Guerra scored one for the home team. The last match of the season put Messi’s goal tally for 2012 at 91.
0-1 Xavi (min 42)
0-2 Messi (min 59)
1-2 Javi Guerra (min 89)
1-3 Tello (min 94)
