Stylish display brushes doubts aside (1-4)

Stylish display brushes doubts aside (1-4)

Jordi Clos

Barca turned on the style at Villarreal to beat their hosts 1-4 and put behind any doubts that might have lingered from the European KO. Barca will lead the table going into the final three games thanks to goals tonight from Messi(2), Xavi and Bojan.

Any doubts about Guardiola’s team’s ability to bounce back from the Inter defeat were brushed aside by a champions display to see off the in-form Villarreal with some magisterial football, particularly in the first half when Messi, Xavi and Bojan all scored. The home team got a consolation goal in the second, but Messi was again on target to put aside any hopes of a comeback. This was a team true to its style and heritage and Barca’s starting line up included a total of eight players who’d come through La Masia and all four goals were scored by home grown players.

Lively start

In a lively opening, both teams showed their attacking intentions and Xavi, Messi and Puyol all had good chances in the first ten minutes, as did Nilmar on two occasions for Villarreal. The football was flowing, with not a foul committed till almost the quarter hour mark and Barca were able to impose their style on the game. On 18 minutes, Bojan won a ball and laid it back to Xavi who played a trademark killer pass to Messi for the Argentinean aided by a slight deflection from a defender, to strike home from an acute angle.

0-3 at the break

The goal confirmed Barca’s dominance and Xavi was at the heart of it all, so it was fitting that he claimed the second, striking home a wonderful free kick over the defensive wall and past the flailing Diego Lopez. The third was another excellent effort, as Bojan out-smarted and out-sprinted his marker Gonzalo and fired low past the keeper to send the team in 0-3 up.

Villarreal reaction snuffed out

Villarreal made two changes at half time and came out determined to put up what they could of a fight. Barca’s answer was to maintain possession and take the sting out of their hosts’ attempts to fight back. When Llorente managed to pull a goal back on 67 minutes, Messi almost came back with an immediate reply, shooting just wide, but Barca never really looked under pressure and their biggest fright came when the ref appeared to show Busquets a second yellow as he went off to be subbed, which was in fact for Llorente.

Messi gets his second

The game was only going one way and when Messi did make it four with his second, exquisitely rounding off a typical team move on 87 minutes, it just confirmed Barca’s superiority throughout, the three points and another week at the top.

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