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Barça overrun Malaga (6-0)

Roger Bogunyà

Barça has gone on a goal rampage again, this time the victims were Malaga, who was already behind 4-0 at half time. Xavi, Messi, Henry, Eto’o (2) and Alves have been the scorers, and the league leaders hold on to their six-point advantage.

The match lasted 90 minutes but it was already over at half-time, when it was already 4-0, or even before then. The message given out by Barça even when it was still 0-0 was one of impending doom for Malaga, and it turned out to be a one-man-show as Barça proceeded to totally overrun a stunned Malaga.

It was also a festival of goals, with Xavi, Messi, Henry, Eto’o (2) and Alves showing their talent in a great all-round display by the team. With this result, FC Barcelona arrives at the short break in the league holding on to their six-point advantage over Real Madrid with 30 points still to play for.

Defence breaks down in the 18th minute

Barça began the game with all the possession, moves and pressure, with Malaga on the defence from the outset. Few teams survive Nou Camp playing that way. Iniesta and Henry looked threatening but Malaga’s defensive block wasn’t broken down till the 18th minute when Eto’o and Xavi swapped roles with Eto’o setting up the first Barça goal for Xavi, who had scored twice in La Rosaleda back in November.

Messi gets a scorcher

Being one down, Malaga should have turned up the pressure, but instead it was Barça who carried on going for goal. Messi got the second after a brilliant individual move down the right where he left Nacho and Hélder Rosario on the floor before beating Goitía with an amazing right-footed shot. Immediately after the celebrations, Touré, obviously in pain, was substituted by Keita.

Xavi lays on the goals

Barça had the taste for more goals in their mouths, just as they had against Atlético, Almería and Valladolid. Xavi now played the role of facilitator, first setting up Henry’s goal (where he beat Goitia in a one-on-one in the 31st minute), then setting up Eto’o’s first in the 42nd minute.
Xavi laid them on, the strikers scored and the fans were happy, and then a beautiful first half came to an end.

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Barça’s one-man-show resumed after half-time, and in the 50th minute an unmarked Alves headed home a pass from Iniesta. The fans went mad, but the show still wasn’t over. Six minutes later Henry set Eto’o up in the six-yard box, and the Cameroon player didn’t fail to deliver. Amazing! Later on in the half, an injured Iniesta was substituted by Gudjohnsen, and the youngster Bojan came on for Xavi. Then the show was over.