La Liga - Barca trounce Real in 'Clasico' classic

Eurosport - Sun, 03 May 09:16:00 2009

Barcelona took a major step towards securing La Liga after beating Real Madrid 6-2 in an astonishing edition of the fixture known as 'El Clasico' at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Thierry Henry celebrates scoring for Barcelona against Real Madrid. Lionel Messi is on his back. - 0

Barca are now seven points clear of defending champions Real with four games of the season remaining after braces from Thierry Henry and Lionel Messi plus goals from Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique rendered strikes for Real from Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Ramos irrelevant.

The statistics of Barca's season are astounding: Pique's goal - Barca's sixth - was their 100th in La Liga this season, and between them Samuel Eto'o, Messi and Henry have scored more goals than the entire squads of any side - excluding only Real - in England, Italy, Germany or Spain.

The reverse fixture back in December - a 2-0 Barcelona victory at the Nou Camp - was Juande Ramos's first match in charge of Real Madrid, and following that match they embarked on an incredible run of 17 wins and one draw from 18 games.

Real took the lead after a high-tempo first quarter of an hour when Sergio Ramos curled his cross around Eric Abidal to Gonzalo Higuain, who was left completely unmarked by Carles Puyol in the centre of the penalty area, to head in his 19th league goal of the season.

That lead lasted only a few minutes until Messi found Henry and the Frenchman tucked a neat side-footed finish into the net to make it 1-1.

Puyol made amends for his earlier mistake and turned the game on its head just two minutes later. Fabio Cannavaro had desperately hauled down Henry on the left wing near the byline, and Xavi's free-kick was met by a firm header from the Barca captain to give his side the lead. Ironically, it was Higuain who should have been on hand to stop Puyol from that set piece.

Lassana Diarra was caught dithering in possession, and Xavi robbed him before setting up Messi, who clipped the ball past Iker Casillas with the outside of his boot to send Barca 3-1 up at half-time.

After the break, Real looked as though they could have mounted one of their trademark fight backs when Arjen Robben's free-kick was headed in by Sergio Ramos, but the Spain right-back undid his good work two minutes later when he was too late in springing the offside trap on Henry, who went on to knock the ball past Casillas and see it roll into the empty net and make it restore the two-goal gap.

Henry, a doubt before the match, was substituted soon afterwards, and is not certain to be fit to face Chelsea in Wednesday's Champions League semi-final second leg.

With 15 minutes left Messi got his second of the night and 23rd league goal of the season when he beat Casillas from close range before former Manchester United centre-back Pique capped an impressive display at the back with his first goal in La Liga from inside the six-yard box.

Villarreal 0-2 Sevilla

Sevilla tightened their grip on third place in the table with a 2-0 win over fifth-placed Villarreal at El Madrgial.

Luis Fabiano opened the scoring in the second half after strike partner Fredi Kanoute find him with a through ball, and the Brazilian slotted coolly underneath goalkeeper Diego Lopez to give the visitors the lead.

Despite going down to 10 men when right-back Abdoulaye Konko was sent off for a second bookable offence, Sevilla doubled their lead when Kanoute got a goal of his own with a clinical drilled shot from distance that went in off the far post.

The result leaves Manolo Jimenez's side four points above fourth-placed Valencia, who travel to Espanyol on Sunday. Villarreal could drop down to sixth if Atletico Madrid win their match at Athletic Bilbao.

Numancia 2-0 Malaga

Numanica moved off the bottom of the table with a home win over Europa League hopefuls Malaga.

Midfielder Juan Carlos Moreno struck in first minute for the struggling side, who now move above Recreativo Huelva into 19th place.

Striker Javier del Pino doubled the home side's lead in second-half to help deny Malaga a point that would have seen them at least temporarily leapfrog Atletico Madrid into fifth.

Malaga could drop as low as eighth by the end of the weekend if Deportivo la Coruna win at home against Valladolid tomorrow, while Recre could move back off the bottom of the league with a victory at Osasuna.

Tony Mabert / Eurosport

Comment 163 - 182 of 182

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. Hey my friend don't forget that when there are no­ counter attacks and cut-backs Drogba will be missing in­ action,we are just going to take good care of the­ winggers then the situation will be under control.

    From sosoyee777, on Tue 5 May 11:51AM

  2. Hello Chelsea and its fan,what I can help you with is­ just to going you people in your last prayer,so that­ the almight should receive your soul.PRAY FOR DEAD,We­ are not going to pity on who does who do not pity for­ himself.I think if you can declare forfuture then it­ will be better for you.

    From sosoyee777, on Tue 5 May 11:39AM

  3. Here we are again,impossible is never a Barcelona,My­ guys I want you to just handdle it the way we did in­ the Santiago Bernabeu stadium a few days ago.If we can­ handdle it just as we did there,then we have no worries­ at all.Abida please do not always leave your opennent­ far from you,that is why you find it very hard with­ Rubben at the Santiago Bernabeu pitch.we recieved two­ goals from that dirrection,no problem please just make­ sure you do not give much distance to whom you are­ marking,if you do they will dribble you so fast.

    From sosoyee777, on Tue 5 May 11:33AM

  4. koppit u r the most stupied person
    ok tell me with­ which team the 3 catalans xavi iniesta & puyol won­ last euro
    it was with spanish national team
    even the­ basque team which doesn't use except basque players­ athletic belbau
    their players like fernando­ lorentti
    plays for spain
    all teams of la liga represent­ spain
    just like the national team is represent by­ andalusian catalane basque ...etc
    yes la liga is the­ best league with its european title not like some with­ a lot of talks
    for those who say franco boys
    we r­ santiago bernabeu's son our true father is our­ former presedant santiago bernabeu who change fc madrid­ to real madrid & make it the greatest team in­ world
    general franco was spain's leader
    all who r­ here, & pretend to be barca fan but doen't know­ anything about spanish football & la liga
    it seems­ u want even to cut barcelona from spanish map
    a true­ barca fan knows the feeling of being spain
    i have seen­ that in last euro
    xavi the true catalane was saying the­ happiest moment in his life is when he won last­ euro
    for those of u who know things on the surface, plz­ don't go deep its shame to talk about things u­ don't know

    From getachew44, on Mon 4 May 5:02PM

  5. Getachew what you seem to forget is that Barca always­ insist they are not Spanish, but Catalan, yet you­ include them as Spanish for your post??Are they or­ arent they??

    From Koppite 1973, on Mon 4 May 12:02PM

  6. Getachew what you seem to forget is that Barca always­ insist they are not Spanish, but Catalan, yet you­ include them as Spanish for your post??Are they or­ arent they??

    From Koppite 1973, on Mon 4 May 12:02PM

  7. What it showed in the end was the enormous gap between­ FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF and that gap was not­ just in terms of the scoreline either.

    From TITUS N, on Mon 4 May 9:35AM

  8. I LOVE THIS BARÇA - FOOTBALL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From enachon, on Mon 4 May 9:34AM

  9. This was supposed to be the biggest match on the­ planet, a match that would showcase Spain's finest,­ the Clasico, the gran clasico, where decades of­ history, politics, sociological factors and cultural­ differences would get expressed through the universal­ outlet of football. It was billed as the match that­ could perhaps settle the Spanish championship, a match­ in which either Barcelona’s class or Real Madrid’s­ spirit would come out on top.

    From TITUS N, on Mon 4 May 9:29AM

  10. On November 19,2005 Barcelona scored three goals, on­ May 2,2009 Barcelona scored six. On November 19,2005­ the Bernabeu rose to applaud Ronaldinho, on May 2,2009­ the Bernabeu was half empty by the time the referee­ blew the final whistle. On November 19,2005 the­ Bernabeu witnessed one of the greatest clasicos ever,­ on May 2,2009 the Bernabeu witnessed the greatest­ clasico ever.

    From TITUS N, on Mon 4 May 9:28AM

  11. On November 19,2005 FC Barcelona "Left The­ Bernabeu To Applause”, on May 2, 2009 FC Barcelona left­ the Bernabeu in tatters. On November 19,2005 Ronaldinho­ destroyed Madrid completely, on May 2,2009 Thierry­ Henry, Lion-like Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta­ destroyed Madrid completely with even Gerard Pique not­ being able to help himself hammer another nail in­ Madrid’s coff!n.

    From TITUS N, on Mon 4 May 9:28AM

  12. But if chelsea packs the team bus infront of cech, how­ can you get entertained with that? I want to see runs,­ movement, chances created, saves, dribbling,­ excitement, defence, attack, bal control, goals (etc) -­ Thats why we call it the be@utiful Game.. But last­ week, (at Camp Nou) there was Nothing be@utiful about­ Chelsea tactics.

    From TITUS N, on Mon 4 May 9:23AM

  13. Anyone reading this will agree that you cant claim to­ be a great team until you conquer Europe.

    Yes.. May­ the best team win - I dont mind chelsea beating barca,­ so far as both teams put on a show, an interesting,­ fair, and entertaining game is what (the fans) deserve,­ and all i want.

    From TITUS N, on Mon 4 May 9:20AM

  14. hahaha.. infatuated? Are U sure? well, I would only­ describe it as LOVE, Not infatuation.. I LOVE barca -­ Thats a Fact. And at least u accept that barca is a­ great team.. But chelsea? I beg to differ.. Chelsea is­ a good team at best. Barca have earned the respect and­ admiration they got.. Barca have been european­ champions and won laliga twice in past 5years, and This­ season's laLiga is already Wrapped up,
    on the­ other hand, Mourinho thought he's the one.. LOL..­ he couldn't deliver the champions league, and he­ knew he would never do it, so he quite while he was­ ahead.

    From TITUS N, on Mon 4 May 9:18AM

  15. la_carlamms

    The truth is both Barca and Chelsea are­ great teams. Its just I like to tickle Titus a bit bcos­ he is obviously infatuated with Barca. You can see he­ is a die hard Barca fan.

    May the best team wins.

    From yourstrulyhere, on Mon 4 May 4:47AM

  16. la_carlamms,

    The truth is B

    From yourstrulyhere, on Mon 4 May 4:45AM

  17. yourstrulyhere..
    even i'm a Barca for life, i still­ amused by your poem.. (maybe u'll get my rate up)­ but i hope u can write one of those after wed night coz­ a Spanish bulldozer gonna roll over your infamous­ double-decker bus & thats including London bridge..­ London bridge is falling down..falling down.. then­ we'll see who get the last laugh..

    regards,
    yours­ truly over here

    From carlamms, on Mon 4 May 4:12AM

  18. Dear Titus N,

    I have written a poem for you. Here it­ goes:)

    Titus N you are my man
    Everything you say I­ ban
    Cos you are not from my clan
    Your Barca is built on­ sand
    Are you sure Barca can ?

    Last nite, a gypsy from­ Barcelona gazed into her crystal ball and saw a fearful­ vision.
    I asked What Happened ?

    Under a bridge a ball­ was passed to guy called Malouda
    It went from there to­ the legs of Anelka
    From there it went to Drogba
    Who­ shot it between the legs of Guardiola
    Into the goal of­ Barcelona.

    I asked the gypsy: And what did you see­ happened at the other end?

    "A ball reaches the­ legs of Xavi
    And quickly it went to Henry
    He passed it­ to Messi
    Who crashed into a bus called Terry
    And that­ was the end of the story"

    Cheers,

    May the best­ team wins !

    Yours Truly,

    From yourstrulyhere, on Mon 4 May 2:48AM

  19. You English and Madridistas make me Laugh. Its not that­ Madrid was bad, its because Barca was just too Good.­ Its not that the mid field didnt close barca down, its­ that iniesta/xavi/messi can create space - These guys­ can go through the eye of the niddle, they dont even­ need space to manouver. Get your stats right.­ Question.. Who were the last team to beat Madrid b4­ saturday? Oops.. BARCELONA. Real Madrid have been­ prolific and Efficient under Ramos, making things­ happen and picking up points even when they play badly.­ But Barca is just unstopable. NOT because Lyon, bayern,­ Valencia, Sevilla, and real are @#$%, All these teams­ cannot be all @#$%, barca have done it Time and Time­ again this season, scoring 4 or more games over 10­ times this season.. THAT CAN'T be a FLUKE.. Its­ Planned. and Executed well..

    You knw.. the funny thing­ is.. This Barca team still have room for improvement.­ LOL Can U immagine if we improved ?? DAMN I rest my­ case

    From TITUS N, on Mon 4 May 2:01AM

  20. Well Barcelona showed that they can score lots of goals­ if

    The midfield don't tackle
    The midfield­ don't close down
    The full backs seem unaware that­ the wingers like to cut back in
    The centre backs­ don't get any protection from the ball rolled down­ the side of them
    The centre backs look like they have­ only just met
    The referee gives fouls for any­ contact

    If I was a Barce fan I would be worried that­ the centre backs are scring goals but can't defend.­ You conceded twice to a team you thoroughly outplayed.­ Against |Chelsea you has all the play but Chelsea had­ the best chances. You look pretty but are you effective­ against the very top temas. Please don't make the­ mistake of putting any other Spanish team in the­ category.
    Arsenal 4 Villareal 1
    Man Utd beat Porto who­ beat Athletico
    Liverpool 5 Real Madrid 0
    English teams­ are a step up from the sorry bunch playing for Real­ under a managed who failed in the EPL

    From G, on Sun 3 May 6:44PM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account