Saturday October 20, 2012 Day 8 Finished Estadio Riazor
Deportivo La Coruña 4 - 5 FC Barcelona
- Pizzi 26’ (pen.), 47’
- Bergantiños 37’
- Alba 79’ (o.g.)
- Alba 3’
- Tello 8’
- Messi 18’, 43’, 77’
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Liga: Messi treble thwarts rousing Deportivo fightback
Lionel Messi scored his 21st hat-trick for Barcelona as the 10-man La Liga leaders scrambled an astonishing 5-4 win at Deportivo La Coruna. More
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Live Commentary
Time:90'- Deportivo La Coruña
- FC Barcelona
90+3' A frantic finish to the match. Deportivo press forward, but Barca hang on. Wonderful match, but Barca complete a 5-4 victory. A treble for Messi and three points to the visitors.- 89' We are into three minutes of time added on.
88' Montoya plays the ball out for a corner to the home side. The keeper comes up for a corner, but several Depor players are deemed to offside.- 87' Barca trying to run down the clock now by keeping the ball. But a bit of work to be done yet. Solid piece of defending by Alba at the back.
- 86' Pedro fires a shot at goal. Frantic defending by the home side. Ball won't drop to Messi. Depor survive.
- 85' Iniesta doing well to curb the run of Pizzi. Barca have a goalkick, but more importantly some respite.
84' Messi is booked for pulling back the run of Laure. Messi protests his innocence, but the referee isn't interested.- 83' Castro inches wide from levelling at 5-5 with a crisp volley. Valdes wasn't getting there if it was on target.
82' Change for Deportivo as Salomão replaces Riki.- 81' It is Xavi who tries his luck, but just over the bar. Deportivo try to push on again to rescue this match.
- 80' Marchena takes out Iniesta with an uncompromising challenge on the edge of his box. Messi with the chance from the free-kick.
- 79' It is 5-4 now. Astonishing finish to this match. The home side still alive. Truly bizarre match.
78' GOAL! Jordi Alba somehow flicks the ball over his own goalkeeper Valdes. Great touch by Riki, but Alba send the ball into his own net trying to clear.- 77' Strangely enough, Deportivo seem to have toiled more against the 10 men than the 11. Curious twist.
- 76' GOAL! Messi celebrates his 21st hat-trick for Barcelona. Surely that is the killer blow. Brilliant finish after a lovely run. Glorious finish. Barca lead 5-3.
- 75' Nobody could have envisaged this scoreline when Barca raced into a 3-0 lead early on.
- 74' Iniesta being hounded out of his stride by some decent pressing work by Laure.
- 73' Adriano getting back to make sure a loose ball doesn't drop to a home player. Phew! Barca living dangerously here.
- 72' Barca trying to take the sting out of his match with Xavi. Content to go all the way back to Valdes.
- 71' Montoya produced a surging run moments ago, but could not pick out a team-mate. The home fans boo the Barca possession.
- 70' Deportivo with a real counter attack of pace. Moving the ball going well going forward, but Barca work back to snuff out the danger.
- 69' The Deportivo fans looking a bit anxious. They are aware how close their side is to grabbing something tangible from this match tonight.
- 68' Deportivo could yet make another change here. Difficult to say if they will go for this in the final 20 minutes or so.
- 67' Barcelona with almost 70 percent of possession as Pedro is felled by Alex Bergantiños.
- 66' Iniesta is crowded out by Laure. Superb piece of defending by the home player. Deportivo collect around the halfway line.
- 65' Cesc Fàbregas is the first player to have three assists in a league game this season. Really coming good for Barca in recent weeks.
- 64' More enterprising play by Riki. Drove into the box, but can only send the shot straight into the arms of Valdes.
- 63' Laure picks up a booking for a late challenge on Busquets.
- 62' Valeron also departs the action with Camunas given the nod to add more bite to that home midfield.
- 61' Xavi takes over from Fabregas, who makes way despite a brilliant outing.
- 60' Pizzi comes inside. Clever play, but his shot from distance is well held by Valdes, who has not been the most convincing of characters this evening.
- 59' Looks like Barca are going to bring on Xavi here. This match not going according to plan for Barca. Plenty of times for more goals at both ends.
- 58' Valeron is booked for pulling back Iniesta. Can have no complaints about that one.
57' Lovely pass by Fabregas. Right into the path of Pedro, but he hooks the shot wide. Golden chance of a fifth goal not taken.- 56' Tello is going to depart the action to be replaced by Pedro.
- 55' These are hairy moments for Barca, but they remain in with a chance while Messi is on the park.
- 54' Laure supporting his attackers, but Jordi Alba races back to make the interception.
- 53' Villa departs to be replaced by Adriano for Barcelona. First change of the day for them.
- 52' Messi clips the inside of a post with a free-kick. Brilliant effort with the keeper beaten. So unfortunate for Messi.
- 51' A booking for Ayoze after he went straight through Messi. Free-kick chance from 25 yards out. Messi standing over it.
- 50' The slow walk then for Mascherano to the dressing room. Bad decision by the referee seeing replays of that incident.
49' RED CARD FOR MASCHERANO! Barca are down to 10 men. Drama here as Riki goes down. Was a harsh red, but what a chance now for the home side.- 48' What a start to the second half. Deportivo back from 3-0 down to 4-3 behind. More goals in this game with neither side convincing in defence.
- 47' GOAL! Pizzi sends a stunning free-kick into the corner of the net from distance. A brilliant free-kick from 25 yards. Right in the postage stamp. Valdes never got there. 4-3 now.
46' Off we go then in the second half. Will there more be goals? Let us find out.- 45+1' There goes the whistle for the break. A 4-2 lead for Barca.
- 44' We are into one minute of time added on to the half.
- 43' Marchena does well to get some leather on the ball to clear the cross by Tello. Vital interception.
- 42' Barca devastating going forward. Brilliant attacking move and the visitors get their reward with another goal. Another bout of silence. That quells the home fans.
- 41` GOAL! Messi darts onto the ball from Fabregas and whacks the ball across Daniel Aranzubía. No chance for the Deportivo keeper. A 4-2 lead now for Barca.
- 40' An offside flag goes up against Riki. This game really opening up now. Both sides going for it. Deportivo have come to the party.
- 39' The Celtic manager Neil Lennon will be heartened by what is going on there. Just shows what can happen when you get at Barca's backline.
- 38' Busquets taken out of the game late by Alex Bergantiños, who is booked for that challenge.
- 37' Alba doing superbly well to win the ball from Laure. Barca suddenly in a real dogfight to lead at the break. What a transformation.
- 36' Gama taken out of the action late by Iniesta, who is rightly booked for that challenge.
- 35' That Barca defence is suspect and then some. Deportivo right up to the pace of this match now. Barca rattled.
- 34' GOAL! Alex Bergantiños drives the ball into the net. The home side right back in this. Valdes can't keep out the shot. Awful goalkeeping amid some horrid defending. A 3-2 lead now for Barca.
- 33' Valeron on the ball for the home side before normal service is resumed seconds later with Barca collecting.
- 32' Daniel Aranzubía with the goalkick down the park. Deportivo seem to be a lot livelier than earlier on as Riki just runs the ball out of play.
- 31' Fabergas slides the ball out wide. The visitors continue to pass like their lives depends upon it.
- 30' Song doing enough to stop Bruno Gama getting a shot at goal before Valdes whips it long down the park.
- 29' Fabregas darts back to win the ball from Pizzi. Barca back on the ball. Seeking a fourth to establish that three-goal lead again.
- 28' Laure sees his attempted cross cut out. Riki gets up again in the middle, but heads wide of goal. Montoya and Song none too clever in the middle.
- 27' Barca don't really do defending. None too clever when they are being pinned back.
- 26' GOAL! Pizzi places the ball into the corner of the net with Valdes going the wrong way. A 3-1 lead now for Barca. Perhaps life in this match yet.
- 25' PENALTY TO DEPORTIVO! Riki taken out late by Mascherano's tackle. Clear penalty. The former Liverpoool man clearly inside his area.
- 24' Daniel Aranzubía makes a superb stop to deny Messi after he was played in by Villa. Lovely stuff again by Barca.
- 23' Valdes tips a shot over the bar before Marchena nods over from the corner. On we go with the score at 3-0 in Barca's favour.
- 22' Flag goes up against Riki as he hits a post with a header from Laure's cross. Should have scored, but it wouldn't have counted.
- 21' Lionel Messi has scored or assisted in more goals in Europe's top five leagues this season - eight goals and four assists.
- 20' Mascherano is booked for a crashing late tackle on Riki. Silly challenge to make. Didn't have to commit to that.
- 19' Barca with four shots in this match, three on target and three goals. Doesn't get much better than that. This is a demolition.
- 18' This could get embarrassing here for Deportivo if they do not get closer to Barca, who look like they can score every time they hurtle up the park.
- 17' GOAL! Messi slams the ball high into the net from Fabregas's backheel. Brilliant finish from Messi. Barca lead 3-0. What a finish.
- 16' Barca will get the chance to rest a few faces for the Champions League match with Celtic if this continues to go the way it is going.
- 15' Barca with over 70 percent of possession. This is like a home match as Messi plays in Villa before Tello drills the cross out at the other side of the park.
- 14' Pizzi with an intelligent ball into the middle looking for Riki. Just offside as Valdes comes off his line to punch away.
- 13' Iniesta gives the ball away, but Barca work so hard to win it back as Messi collects. Barca recycle with such ease.
- 12' Messi has his pocket picked for once by a home defender. Deportivo yet to get forward with any real meaning here. Easier said than done when you are seeing so little of the ball.
- 11' Daniel Aranzubía doing just enough to claw out the cross from Iniesta. Deportivo being dragged all over the place here.
- 10' This could be a cricket score if Deportivo don't square themselves up. Barca enjoying this almost like it is a training session.
- 9' Fabregas skips through the middle. Was clearly onside as he knocked the ball wide, but somehow the referee deems him to be offside. Shocking decision.
- 8' Riazor is sold out tonight, but it has all gone very quiet. Deportivo being dismantled here.
- 7' GOAL! Tello knocks the ball through the goaleeper's legs from Messi's pass and that is a 2-0 lead for Barca. All too easy here.
- 6' David Villa has netted a goal every 36 minutes in the league this season, the best rate among all players in La Liga (+2 goals).
- 5' Iniesta brushes Laure off the ball, but a clear foul and Deportivo have a spot of breathing room.
- 4' Celtic manager Neil Lennon watching this match tonight ahead of their meeting with Barca in the Champions League on Tuesday. Plenty of food for thought.
- 3' GOAL! Alba nets the opening goal from the pass by Fabregas. Brilliant move and finish. Barca lead 1-0 away from home. The home defence cut wide open.
- 2' Barca doing what Barca do best as Busquets picks out David Villa with a lovely long pass.
1' Off we go then with this match. Barca looking to continue their unbeaten start to the season in the league.- 20:55 Barcelona started the day level with Atletico Madrid on 19 points but crucially eight ahead of Real Madrid. However, Madrid won at Celta so have cut the gap to five.
- 20:50 TEAMS: Depor: Aranzubia, Castro, Laure, Ayoze, Marchena, Bergantinos, Pizzi, Tapias, Gama, Riki, Valeron. Subs: Lux, Evaldo, Oliva, Dominguez, Camunas, Salomao, Oliveira. /// Barcelona: Valdes, Mascherano, Alba, Montoya, Song, Fabregas, Iniesta, Busquets, Villa, Messi, Tello. Subs: Pinto, Bartra, Xavi, Alexis, Dos Santos, Adriano, Pedro.
- 20:45 Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Liga game between Deportivo and Barcelona at the Riazor.
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Summary
- 78' GOAL! Jordi Alba somehow flicks the ball over his own goalkeeper Valdes. Great touch by Riki, but Alba send the ball into his own net trying to clear.
- 76' GOAL! Messi celebrates his 21st hat-trick for Barcelona. Surely that is the killer blow. Brilliant finish after a lovely run. Glorious finish. Barca lead 5-3.
- 57' Lovely pass by Fabregas. Right into the path of Pedro, but he hooks the shot wide. Golden chance of a fifth goal not taken.
- 52' Messi clips the inside of a post with a free-kick. Brilliant effort with the keeper beaten. So unfortunate for Messi.
- 49' RED CARD FOR MASCHERANO! Barca are down to 10 men. Drama here as Riki goes down. Was a harsh red, but what a chance now for the home side.
- 47' GOAL! Pizzi sends a stunning free-kick into the corner of the net from distance. A brilliant free-kick from 25 yards. Right in the postage stamp. Valdes never got there. 4-3 now.
- 41` GOAL! Messi darts onto the ball from Fabregas and whacks the ball across Daniel Aranzubía. No chance for the Deportivo keeper. A 4-2 lead now for Barca.
- 34' GOAL! Alex Bergantiños drives the ball into the net. The home side right back in this. Valdes can't keep out the shot. Awful goalkeeping amid some horrid defending. A 3-2 lead now for Barca.
- 26' GOAL! Pizzi places the ball into the corner of the net with Valdes going the wrong way. A 3-1 lead now for Barca. Perhaps life in this match yet.
- 25' PENALTY TO DEPORTIVO! Riki taken out late by Mascherano's tackle. Clear penalty. The former Liverpoool man clearly inside his area.
- 24' Daniel Aranzubía makes a superb stop to deny Messi after he was played in by Villa. Lovely stuff again by Barca.
- 17' GOAL! Messi slams the ball high into the net from Fabregas's backheel. Brilliant finish from Messi. Barca lead 3-0. What a finish.
- 7' GOAL! Tello knocks the ball through the goaleeper's legs from Messi's pass and that is a 2-0 lead for Barca. All too easy here.
- 3' GOAL! Alba nets the opening goal from the pass by Fabregas. Brilliant move and finish. Barca lead 1-0 away from home. The home defence cut wide open.
- 20:50 TEAMS: Depor: Aranzubia, Castro, Laure, Ayoze, Marchena, Bergantinos, Pizzi, Tapias, Gama, Riki, Valeron. Subs: Lux, Evaldo, Oliva, Dominguez, Camunas, Salomao, Oliveira. /// Barcelona: Valdes, Mascherano, Alba, Montoya, Song, Fabregas, Iniesta, Busquets, Villa, Messi, Tello. Subs: Pinto, Bartra, Xavi, Alexis, Dos Santos, Adriano, Pedro.
Team Line-up & Ratings
- Deportivo La Coruña
Manager: José Luis Oltra
- FC Barcelona
Manager: Tito Vilanova
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Line-up
Live Team Line-Up
Starting line-up
- D. Aranzubia
- Laure
- C. Marchena
- Zé Castro
- A. Díaz
- Á. Bergantiños
- A. Aguilar
- Bruno Gama
- J. Valerón
- Pizzi ×2
- Riki
Subs
Starting line-up
- Víctor Valdés
- M. Montoya
- A. Song
- J. Mascherano
- J. Alba
- S. Busquets
- C. Fàbregas
- A. Iniesta
- Tello
- D. Villa
- L. Messi ×3
Subs
- J. Pinto
- A. Correia
53′ - A. Sánchez
- Xavi 61′
- Pedro 56′
- Jonathan
- M. Bartra
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Rate Players
messi's the best man.. no one can beat that.. 21 hat tricks just for barca mahn
barca,should stop using their goal keeper plse.
ANTI-BARCA! SUCKSUCKSUCK!
all you idiots who gives and say anything and everything just to get Messi in their team, EPL is one big #$%$. why would Messi want to leave the best team in the world just to come to your stupid EPL. all your english teams cant match with Spanish football. so why don't you just shut the hell up. he is kicking all your #$%$ already with Barca so buzz off
What a match!!! Masch's red card was very harsh. Messi hands down best player in the world. Ronaldo really isn't a patch on him at all
messi is better than the whole of liverpool
Visca Barcaaa!!! David Villa
Barca is strong in attack buf it comes prices with their weak defend...
Visca mighty ,mighty BARCA spearheaded by the imperious,majestic King LIONEL MESSI !
We have to play Barca on Tuesday and no doubt Messi will tear us apart but there is hope as their defence is very shaky! But what a fantastic game of footie. It doesn't get much better than this. Hail Hail!!!
Lets see The shrimp Hormone taker Messi pull this #$%$ in the Italian or any other league.
8 PTS!!!! VISCA BARCA!!!!
valdes valdes valdes, i thought when goal keepers gets older the become more good but your own is exptional you always bring barca to the crying or panicking side pls barca offcials you should do something about this before another great loss comes your way agian every body is improving while u ar not, wake up valdes
Mark have you ever seen anything like this, the greate messi getting goal after goal and valdes mascherano and Alba keep getting us in troble. i meen when will this stop. we can't use these errors if we are to bring back the cup home. Still we won. thanks god, this way people like that gay Ben see who laughs last. VIVA BARCA VIVA THE GREATE ALMIGHTY MESSI
Messi is god, gold balloon for MESSI!
what a match, good show indeed with messi stealing the show once again
haha..ten man barca still won..some goals from deportivo are error from barca!thanks they won..messi the best!
Am glad it is over. Good result any way. We can allow them to close the gap
Hands down to Deportivo, it's hard to believe that they are only 18th league. Looked good, like the good old one who won La Liga in 2001.
