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Match

Marcador del partit

Date: Saturday, 29 Nov
Competition: ???label.competicio0???
Stadium: Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, Sevilla

Resultat:

Sevilla FC: 0
FC Barcelona: 3

Match report

Match Report
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THE GOALS

0-1, Eto'o (min 20)
0-2, Messi (min 78)
0-3, Messi (min 92)

Barca confirm their leadership credentials (0-3)

Roger Bogunyà

Barca eased to a 0-3 win at Seville tonight to stretch their lead at the top of the table. A first half goal from Eto’o was followed by a brace from Messi in the second half to round off a convincing display at the Sánchez Pizjuán.

This was Barca’s first big test of what could prove a decisive run up to Christmas with games against all La Liga’s big hitters and Guardiola’s men passed with flying colours, seeing off Seville in a match where they were rarely troubled by the home team and dominated for virtually the whole 90 minutes. Eto’s opportunist strike was followed by two typically brilliant Leo Messi goals to leave Barca 8 points ahead of Seville and 6 in front of Real Madrid who went down 3-1 earlier in the evening at Getafe

Eto'o on target again

The game began with both sides gingerly testing each other out, before Samuel Eto’o popped up to give Barca the lead on 20 minutes as he pounced on a poor clearance from Fernando Navarro to shoot past a despairing Palop for the first goal.

Seville try to hit back

The goal forced Seville to come forward and for a while they took control of the game, coming close with efforts from Luis Fabiano on 24 minutes and a Kanoute shot that hit the woodwork just before half time. Barca were always dominating possession though and after the break they squeezed the Andalusian team out of the game with their quick passing and neat one-twos. Alves gave notice that the visitors were not done with scoring yet when he troubled Palop with a trade mark free kick on 58 minutes and Messi followed up with a powerful shot 10 minutes later before Alves again came close on 72 minutes.

Messi turns on the style

Barca were rampant now and it was Messi who translated their dominance into goals. First, on 78 minutes he latched onto a Xavi header to run on and control the ball on the edge of the box and fire past Palop to silence the Seville fans. Better was to come though, as in injury time the young Argentine star took a lovely through ball from Hleb round the keeper to cheekily chip home from a tight angle to round off another great night for Guardiola’s team.

Preview

Sevilla record

FC Barcelona have played in the Sánchez Pizjuán on 64 occasions and have a record that has seen them win 17 times 18 games and lost on 29 occasions.

A tough run starts at Sevilla

Jordi Clos

FC Barcelona take on Sevilla on Saturday evening (22:00, TV3, La Sexta, R@dio Barça) in the first of four games against direct rivals at the top end of the table for Pep Guardiola’s side.

In the next quartet of games, the Blaugrana take on Sevilla then Valencia, Real Madrid and Villarreal and the first one of those is this weekend in the Sánchez Pizjuán. The Catalan outfit head south in good form as they sit on top of la Primera and secured first place in their Champions League group with victory against Sporting Clube in midweek.

Best attack against the best defence

Guardiola’s team have already shown their consistency away from home with victory in Portugal on Wednesday being their ninth consecutive victory on their travels. Five league wins, three Champions League triumphs and one Copa del Rey victory has meant that confidence is high, but they will not have it easy against a Sevilla that have conceded the least goals in the league, with eight, in what is a traditionally difficult place for Barça, who have scored the most, 37, to go and take a result from.

Keita and Alves

Two key players in the game will be Dani Alves and Seydou Keita as they duo return to Sevilla for the first time since leaving the club in the summer to move to Camp Nou. The Mali international midfielder was outstanding for the Andalucian club last season, while the Brazilian full-back spent six years with Sevilla during a glorious spell in their history.

Puyol and Touré

Both Alves and Keita are in the squad for the game as are Carles Puyol and Touré Yaya, who missed the midweek Champions League outing after being rested by Guardiola. The pair take the place of Víctor Sánchez and Pedro, while Albert Jorquera is also rested. Andrés Iniesta, Éric Abidal and Gaby Milito are all still injured.

Fifth position

Sevilla, who will be without the suspended Jesús Navas, are just outside of the top four after their goalless draw against Valencia last time out and they too have a tough fixture list as they are due to take on Real Madrid in the Bernabéu next weekend. Manolo Jiménez’s side are in fifth place and lie just five points behind Barça.

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