La Liga - Barcelona hammer Numancia

Eurosport - Sun, 25 Jan 08:35:00 2009

A stunning second-half performance saw Barcelona beat Numancia into submission with a 4-1 win at the Camp Nou to go 15 points clear at the top of La Liga.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 La Liga Barcelona-Numancia Samuel Eto'o Carlos Bellvis / Foto: EFE - 0

A brace from the irresistible Lionel Messi and one apiece from Samuel Eto'o and Thierry Henry saw off a plucky Numancia side, who had a goal controversially disallowed at 0-0 and pulled a goal back to make it 2-1 on the hour mark.

The visitors had captain Cesar Palacios dismissed late on for a second yellow card.

Barcelona dominated the match but despite chances for Daniel Alves, Gerard Pique, Xavi, Messi and Andres Iniesta, it was goalless at half-time - and probably should have been 1-0 to Numancia, had Javier Del Pino's 18th-minute header not been harshly ruled out for an alleged push on Iniesta.

Alves hit the top of the bar with an audacious lob, Pique drilled wide from the edge of the box, Xavi and Messi had consecutive shots bravely blocked by Sergio Ortega and Boris, Juan Pablo denied Iniesta with a wonderful stoop and Juanra denied Messi again with a superb last-ditch tackle.

But somehow it was goalless at the break - although parity did not last very long, as Messi had the simplest of finishes three minutes after the restart thanks to great work from the marauding Alves.

It was 2-0 three minutes later when Iniesta's pass ricocheted into the path of Eto'o, who held off Ortega and finished past Juan Pablo.

Jose Barkero's wonderful free-kick gave the visitors hope, but Henry sent a low deflected shot off the foot of Palacios 10 minutes later and Messi sealed the rout with a tap-in after his initial shot was blocked by Juan Pablo, whose efforts did not deserve to be beaten four times.

By the end it could have been six or seven, with Messi forcing another good save from Juan Pablo and hitting the crossbar, while Eto'o missed two clear-cut chances to draw level with Messi on 22 goals scored in all competitions.

Real Madrid can close the gap to 12 points if they beat Deportivo but Barcelona - with 53 points from a possible 60 and an average of over three goals a game - now look all but certain to win the title.

Reda Maher / Eurosport

Comment 7 - 26 of 26

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  1. Messi is just playing with all he has in him. This is the way to become best player for the year. I hope he gets it for this season because he really deserves it!... Go Messi....Go Barca!!!

    From marilacson, on Mon 26 Jan 12:32PM

  2. Bravo Barça!!! MESSI: this is football !!

    From enachon, on Mon 26 Jan 9:38AM

  3. Barca are jus on cloud nine, goals flowing from all over surely it doesnt get better than that! If thy can tranfer the same form into the Champions league then i dont see anything stopin them from gettin it. go Barca go

    From William, on Mon 26 Jan 6:22AM

  4. man u...house of @#$%!!!

    From leon, on Sun 25 Jan 8:56AM

  5. Barca will be Kings of Europe this summer!!!

    From leon, on Sun 25 Jan 8:54AM

  6. Messi is a genius for football !

    From jc3312, on Sun 25 Jan 8:13AM

  7. Messi is a genius for football !

    From jc3312, on Sun 25 Jan 8:12AM

  8. Man United is the best team in the world right now. Until another team proves otherwise, they remain the best.

    From Salim E, on Sun 25 Jan 6:51AM

  9. I have to admit that ManUn are playing good, but I still think they are in luck.
    Barcelona has always played better than ManUn, but last season United had just GOOD LUCK even at the end against BIG CHELSEA.
    Let's see what happens this year against Inter.

    From julio c, on Sun 25 Jan 3:41AM

  10. I had no interest in watching the games at present....I found a hot place, you guys should try it ___Wealthy beauty co m_____a great place for rich people to meet their soul mates....

    From zjmdj001, on Sun 25 Jan 2:32AM

  11. Imteresting performance from Barca. These guys are unstopable.
    GO BARCA!!!!!!!!!!! U ARE THE BEST

    From nkeih m, on Sun 25 Jan 1:15AM

  12. same players as last season...what gives??

    From dustin, on Sun 25 Jan 1:09AM

  13. Well said, Scott S

    From Creaven91, on Sun 25 Jan 12:05AM

  14. barca are far better than man utd. that world club competition is nothing. mid table spanish and english teams could win that.

    utd are overrated, shouldnt have won champions league last year, were lucky to win the league and that was with chelsea not playing well and ronaldos goals won them anything tey got even though he was terrible in every big game.

    i think inter will put man u out cl this year and I hope they do

    From yip, on Sat 24 Jan 11:59PM

  15. k

    From Petru, on Sat 24 Jan 11:44PM

  16. try to stop them

    From adrian, on Sat 24 Jan 11:40PM

  17. Common people lets stop this s tuff about Barca being the best in the world. they are still to prove themselves in Europe this season as soo far they have had very light matches in that competition: Still I am in no way whatso ever discounting their performances this season, even the great Man U hasn't been able to pull an average of 3 goals per match with just 1 match lost in what? 5 months!!!! hats off to the entire Barca team, though i still beleive valid competition will show us another face. And dn't talk about their heroics against Real or Villareal as both sides (real for one) were badly minimized by injuries

    From alexandera, on Sat 24 Jan 11:40PM

  18. It's really not even fair 17-2-1 & outscoring the competition by 49 goals in 20 games. And to think just a little while ago, Titi Henry was thought to be moving on & wasn't fitting in.

    From David, on Sat 24 Jan 11:36PM

  19. as a spurs fan i hate to admit it, barca may be good but you still aint close to man utd, that team has so much depth, theyve had a bad start to the season and theyre 1st in the league, played 2 cup finals, into annother cup final, through to 5th round of fa cup, and favourites for the champions league......and jus for the record utd are the best in the world and they have the trophy to prove it

    From Dale W, on Sat 24 Jan 11:32PM

  20. Barcelona will Win all Cup this Season and Nothing Can Stop Them..Not Even Man-United. Barcelona Is the Best.....Messi Is the World Best Player 2009..Barca 4 life.

    From atumu e, on Sat 24 Jan 11:17PM
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