Barca beat Real Sociedad last night on a cold evening at the Camp Nou to stay seven points behind the La Liga leaders Real Madrid. Goals came from young Cristian Tello and Leo Messi and Real Sociedad’s goal came from Carlos Vela.. The merengues also won their match by beating Getafe 1-0 with a goal from in-form Sergio Ramos.

The game kicked off in freezing temperatures and burst into life on four minutes when first Messi was denied by Sociedad keeper Claudio Bravo, before Victor Valdes blocked from Diego Ifran at the other end.

Four minutes later and Barca were ahead when Tello beat the advancing Bravo to convert a slide rule pass from Messi.

Messi was the provider again on 26 minutes when it was Fabregas who shot just high and Sociedad were struggling to make any headway against the quick passing Barca.

Next it was Jonathan Dos Santos, starting his first league game of the season, who tried from long range and forced Bravo into a save.

On the stroke of half-time Dani Alves shot wide from close range and Messi had a shot blocked by Bravo seven minutes into the second-half.

Messi again was close to adding the second on 63 minutes when he rounded Bravo only for centre-half Inigo Martinez to block his goal bound effort, but he was to finally hit the target on 72 minutes.

The little Argentinian was quick to latch onto Dani Alves’ chipped pass and beat Bravo with a flick of the left foot to make sure he did not complete four consecutive games without a goal.

Vela quickly grabbed one back for the visitors, cooly finishing an Antoine Griezmann pass, and the lead was back to the single goal it had been for nearly all the game.

Barca lost Sergi Busquets to what seemed to be a nasty knee injury in the closing stages but held on for the all important three points.Read more here.

So, Barca pass the test on an icy evening to keep the pressure on Real Madrid and limit the damage the merengue side do. Something to look forward to this week is the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi final against an in-form Valencia side who want to win at the Camp Nou and earn a place in the final.

Barcelona salvaged a draw at Mestalla with a great header by Barca captain Carles Puyol.

Barca Central defender Carles Puyol saw the Spanish champions come from behind to draw 1-1 with Valencia in their Copa del Rey semi-final first leg match on Wednesday at the Mestalla stadium.

And Barca could have sown it up in the second-half on 55 minutes with a penalty from Leo Messi but was well saved by Diego Alves.

Valencia, who have won La Copa del Rey seven times, had taken a well deserved lead in the 27th minute thanks to Brazilian forward Jonas’s strike from just inside the penalty area.

Barcelona though, were back on level terms eight minutes later as captain Carles Puyol leapt like an NBA All-Star at the back post to head into the net and give Barca an invaluable away goal for next week’s second leg at the Camp Nou.

It was a valuable win for the Catalans as coach Josep Guardiola had to do without five of his first choice players due to injury including Pedro and Iniesta.

The other Copa del Rey semi-final had seen Athletic Bilbao take a 2-1 advantage into next week’s second leg after beating third division Mirandes away with two goals coming from Fernando Llorente.

It was certainly a tough game last night at the Madrigal stadium where Barca played Villareal. Molina’s men brought the game to Barca and played their hearts out. Both teams had missed chances and Villareal had a goal disallowed for off-side. Barca were perhaps a bit lax in finishing and Cesc of all people squandered a few good chances to put the Blaugrana’s firmly in the lead.This is another setback for Barca after beating Real Madrid in La Copa del Rey the other day.

They needed to capitalize on their win over the merengues and they were left stunned by the result.Leo Messi was his usual busy self but also squandered a few chances, the first being a cheeky little lift over the keeper which somehow went just wide of the net.It seemed more of a Premier league match than a La Liga match as it was furious end to end stuff. Pep was getting anxious and both teams saw decisions going the wrong way. Villareal had a clear penalty and one tackle that probably deserved a red and not a yellow by a Villareal player was not deemed so, much to the dismay of the Barca coach.

So, with Barca now trailing by seven points in the Spanish league behind leaders Real Madrid who beat Zaragoza by a comfortable 3-1, time is running out for Pep to play catch-up. With Andrés Iniesta out for at least 3 weeks for injuring himself in the clash last Wednesday in La Copa del Rey, Guardiola has to come up with a plan B.

Pep said after the game:

“Being five [points behind] is better than seven,” he added. “We have been too attentive to the things they do well, we have lacked luck when putting the ball in the net but my assessment is that I am satisfied, especially after last week’s work.”

The semi-final clash will see them meet up with Valencia, a team they drew with in September. If they manage to beat them, they may have to face  Basque side Athletic Bilbao who Barca drew with in November.

Unbelievable game of football last night at the Camp Nou. Real Madrid actually stepped up to the plate and played some very good football. Real Madrid played a very tidy first half of football where they could have scored four or five times but it was Barcelona who ended up 2-0 in front with goals from Pedro and Dani Alves.

Both teams played exciting football but Madrid had the edge  over Barcelona for most of the game. Madrid were attacking and creating chances and with Manuel Pinto in goal things weren’t looking too good for Barcelona as Madrid were going to score without a shadow of a doubt.

The game ended up 2-2 but Barcelona goes through to the semis on goal difference. It was a cracking game of football.

In the first half Cristiano Ronaldo had a few chances but squandered them and Ozil, the German maestro popped up with an unbelievable shot the rocked pinto’s crossbar – how that never went in and made goal of the season I’ll never know! At half time and Madrid one nil down all looked ok until Alves scored a beauty in the 47th minute. It looked like it would be another cakewalk for Pep’s Barcelona but Mourinho’s Madrid had other ideas. Instead of lying down and playing dead as per usual, madrid stepped up to the mark and brought the play to Barca. Cristiano scored in the 67th minute and Benzema added a second in the 71st.

Real Madrid had finally got the bit between their teeth and started to play. Barcelona looked scared and were committing defensive mistakes – quite unlike Barca.It was a question of time now and Real just needed a goal to launch themselves into the semi finals of la Copa del Rey.

This was no doubt the best performance from madrid against Guardiola’s dream team of Barcelona. Real Madrid can go back home and hold their heads up high because they finally played the football all the “Madrileños” were dying to see.

“The players played a good game,” a subdued Real boss Jose Mourinho told a news conference full of curt answers. “Before the game we came here with the hope and the motivation of winning,” he said.

“If you want I will congratulate Barcelona for the win last week. I am happy to do that as they deserved to win.”

Barcelona’s win however came at a price with Andrés Iniesta limping off in the 29th minute with a torn muscle and bullet man Alexis Sánchez was substituted 11 minutes from full-time with a shoulder injury and is expected to miss between one to two weeks.

The game at the Nou Camp finished 2-2 with Guardiola’s Barcelona going through 4-3 on aggregate.

It wasn’t Malaga’s day and Barcelona made light work of Pellegrini’s team as they trounced Málaga 1-4. Messi chalks up another hat-trick and alexis gets on the score sheet, too!  This could be the perfect pre-Copa del Rey match for Barcelona as they meet Real Madrid on Wednesday for the second leg of their quarter final match.

Real Madrid now have to face Athletic Bilbao in a few hours time knowing that Barcelona have cut their lead to 2 points. Will Real Madrid carry on their run of wins and face Barcelona on Wednesday with some pride or will Athletic put a spanner in the works at the Bernabéu tonight?

Malaga’s Rondón scored in the closing minutes of the game but it will serve as a mere consolation goal for the “Malagueños”. Puyol, Xavi and Cesc were all rested ahead of Wednesday’s big game as Guardiola wants a fresh team to face the “Merengues”.

Malaga almost restored a little pride with a late surge during which Rondon and fellow substitute Seba Fernandez came close to further reducing the defecit, but Messi too was twice denied at the death by Wilfredo Caballero in goal.

So with Real Madrid having it all to do tonight against the “lions” from Bilbao who are quite “in form” at the moment the Spanish league looks anyones game as Barcelona have temporarily reduced the deficit to 2 points. Of course, if Madrid win there’ll still be a 5 point gap to close but with Barcelona producing the goods like they have done tonight I wouldn’t bet against them winning the title again!

Barcelona won 1-2 at the Santiago Bernabéu last night and paved their way to a deserved semi final pass for this year’s Copa del Rey. The game started in typical “clasico” fashion with either team showing a full deck until Cristiano Ronaldo put the first goal past a hapless Pinto who is Guardiola’s keeper of choice for the Copa del Rey competition. That was it for half time but the second half saw Barcelona step into their stride more with a goal from captain Carles Puyol which stunned the “Merengues”. Later, Eric Abidal got on the score sheet with another goal and made it 1-2 in Barca’s favour.

Cristiano Ronaldo gave the defending champions the lead after 11 minutes, but second-half goals from Carles Puyol and Eric Abidal mean Barca will feel confident of avenging their defeat to Real in last season’s final when they play the second leg at the Camp Nou next week.

It was the third time Barca had beaten Real already this season, following victory in the second leg of the season-opening Super Copa and then a 3-1 win at the Bernabeu in their first league clash of the campaign back in November.

As is now customary in El Clasico, Real manager Jose Mourinho picked Pepe in midfield, and the Portugal defender revelled in the latest instalment of his ongoing battle with Barca’s Sergio Busquets to be crowned this grand old fixture’s most irksome agitator.

Mourinho also started Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain together for only the fourth time in their Real careers as he set his side up to hit Barca on the break.

Ronaldo has come in for some criticism from Real fans in recent weeks, despite him scoring 21 goals in La Liga so far this season to help the club go five points clear at the top of the league.

The world’s most expensive player has also not fared well against Barca, scoring just three times in 13 previous matches against them in his career.

In summary of last night’s match, Barcelona are well placed to reach the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey after trouncing Real Madrid 2-1 in the first leg of their Copa del Rey quarter-final tie. Next stop is the Camp Nou next week. Can Real Madrid turn it around and see off old rivals Barcelona or will it be just another stroll in the park for Barca to book their semi final ticket? We will see!

It was a tough game against Real Betis last night at the Camp Nou but Barca pulled through and managed a 4-2 win after being held 2-2 by the Andalusian side.

Barcelona squandered a two-goal lead before seeing off 10-man Real Betis 4-2 to cut Real Madrid’s lead at the top of La Liga back to five points on Sunday.

Two goals from Lionel Messi and a goal apiece from Xavi and Alexis Sanchez fired them to the victory after Ruben Castro and Roque Santa Cruz had levelled.

Betis had Mario Vazquez sent off with the score at 2-2 with 20 minutes remaining and Barca never looked back.

Now the focus is turned to the Spanish Cup on Wednesday when the two giants face each other in the first leg of a quarter-final tie.

Real Madrid had came from behind on Saturday to win 2-1 at Mallorca with late goals from Gonzalo Higuain and Jose Callejon.

“The cup is a different competition so we have to change our mentality. What we do know is we will go all out to get through the tie,” said Xavi.

“We have no doubts about our play, although we know we can play better or worse than tonight. Our philosophy is always the same, we go out to attack. We were eight points behind Madrid and Betis made it difficult for us because they wanted the ball.”

Barca coach Pep Guardiola added of Wednesday’s game: “It’s always good to go into a game on the back of a win, but we know who we are up against and we’ll try to play the best game we can.”

Betis started the better team in the Camp Nou and tested Victor Valdes twice in the opening minutes.More here.

So as we see, it was a tough game against Betis who stepped up to the mark and scored 2 priceless goals at the Camp Nou. The Andalusian side was holding Barca to a comfortable 2-2 draw when they were left with 10 men. Anyone who knows Barca will realize that any team with 10 men is virtually toast against them. This is what happened last night and Real Betis quickly conceded 2 goals and the game ended up 4-2 in Barca’s favor. Barcelona meet Real Madrid on Wednesday for the first leg of their Copa del Rey clash – an exciting game indeed!

It had to happen, didn’t it? Barcelona has secured a showdown with Real Madrid and therefore another “Clasico” after beating Osasuna last night.Barca win 1-6 on aggregate with goals coming from Alexis Sanchez and Sergi Roberto to set up another epic Copa del Rey tie against Madrid. Read what the papers say:

Barcelona went through the motions of their second leg match to secure a 2-1 victory over Osasuna at the Reyno de Navarra, progressing 6-1 on aggregate and securing a quarter-final tie with reigning champions Real Madrid.

The hosts took a first half lead lead against a disinterested Blaugrana through Dejan Lekic but Pep Guardiola’s men responded with a vastly improved second half display. Alexis Sanchez levelled the score moments after the restart before Sergi Roberto secured the win with a 72nd minute strike.

Barca began the game at a slow, workmanlike tempo as they sought out a no-fuss 90 minutes. Osasuna gradually eked their way into the game after Pedro’s sixth minute shot was tipped over by Asier Riesgo.

Eric Abidal replaced the injured Andreu Fontas in the visiting defence and almost gifted the opposition a goal in the 17th minute. Alvaro Cejudo dispossessed the Frenchman and his cross was met by Lekic. The striker’s effort got the beating of Jose Pinto but was cleared off the line by the covering Gerard Pique, while Patxi Punal then failed to capitalise on the rebound.

Barcelona lacked urgency and rarely threatened the opposition. With eight minutes of the first half left, Lekic caught Javier Calleja’s pinpoint cross on the volley with sublime technique, but his effort shaved the outside of the post.Original here on Goal.com

So another Copa del Rey clasico has been born. I wonder if Mourinho wanted this? i suppose he does want it and it’ll be an exciting match for sure.

Leo Messi returned to take his third consecutive Ballon D’OR of his career. The little Argentine beat Cristiano Ronaldo, second, and Xavi, third, who completed the podium of the best players of 2011. Messi was presented the trophy by Brazilian legend and ex Barca player Ronaldo.

The managers, captains and correspondents of France Football again opted for Messi after another huge season in which he has won five titles including: League, European Cup, Spanish Super Cup, European Super Cup and Club World Cup.

Andrés Iniesta was fourth and Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas finished ninth

Leo Messi scored 47.88% of the votes, Christiano Ronaldo, 21.60% and Xavi, 9.23%. Iniesta, who scored 6.01%, was the fourth most voted and Wayne Rooney, Luis Suarez, Diego Forlán, Samuel Etoo, Iker Casillas (1.29%) and Neymar completed the list of the top ten.

The ‘Flea’ gets his third Ballon D’OR, which to date had only been managed by Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten. Of these three players, only the Frenchman took three awards in a row (1983. 1984 and 1985), and which Messi has accomplished in (2009, 2010 and 2011).

Leo dedicates message to Xavi: “You too deserve this”
Messi received the Golden Ball from Brazil legend Ronaldo and ended up leaving a message to his team mate Xavi: “You too deserve it and for me it’s a pleasure to be with you on the pitch.”

Espanyol certainly threw a spanner in the works last night at Cornellà for the Catalan derby when they held Pep Guardiola’s men to a 1-1 draw. It has put a small dent in Barcelona’s hopes of retaining their La Liga title but i’m sure Pep will shrug this off and it will be business as usual. Here’s what Eurosport had to say about last night’s game:

Alvaro Vazquez’s late goal in the Catalan derby earned Espanyol a 1-1 draw and dented Barcelona’s La Liga title hopes at the Estadio Cornella-El Prat.The substitute headed in a flick from Thievy Bifouma in the 86th minute to cancel out Cesc Fabregas’s early effort.Real Madrid now have a five-point lead over Barcelona who allowed complacency to set in a keenly contested second-half.

Espanyol went into the match without striker Walter Pandiani, who failed to overcome a thigh problem while Javi Lopez only made the bench after a recent leg injury. Former Barca youngster Sergio Garcia lead the line with Joan Verdu just behind him in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Barcelona’s Andres Iniesta returned from a muscular injury and took his place alongside Sergio Busquets and Xavi in midfield. Cesc Fabregas, Lionel Messi and Alexis Sanchez formed the front three, with David Villa and Ibrahim Afellay long-term injury victims.

Barcelona could have found themselves behind after just five minutes. Their former player Sergio Garcia got in behind their defence on the left and crossed for Joan Verdu. The vice-captain’s header was spectacularly kept out by Victor Valdes and his follow up cleared off the line by Gerard Pique.

Lionel Messi was then booked for handball after he controlled a horrendous pass from Espanyol goalkeeper Cristian Alvarez and set up Fabregas to score. The goal was rightly ruled out, with Messi clearly controlling with his arm.
But it did not take long for the visitors to go ahead as Dani Alves curled in a cross for Fabregas whose firm downward header beat Alvarez.

The Argentinian will reflect that he should have done better as he allowed the header to go through his hands.
Espanyol were still posing a threat at the other end and Valdes had to be on his mettle to save a shot from Garcia, before Eric Abidal blocked a goal-bound Thievy Bifouma effort.Full story here.

After this thrilling Catalan derby, what will be going through Barca supporters’ minds now is “what’s happening”? Barca can’t afford too many mistakes this season especially with a Real Madrid team that is hungrier than ever. Of course, time will tell if Mo’s men have the stamina and pace to last the season and with Barca 5 points adrift it looks like the La Liga title is starting to slip away from Barca’s grip.