Sports

After tonight’s result at Mestalla (0-1) FC Barcelona broke another all-time record. They have gone 20 consecutive league games without defeat since losing 2-1 at Atlético Madrid last season.

Barça have won three hugely important points in Valencia thanks to a Messi goal in the 76th minute. The team made a huge effort and hardly gave the opposition a chance as they extended their lead in the league table to ten points.

Barça go to Mestalla tonight (22.00h CET) for the first of a series of tough away matches. Xavi and Alves are back after missing the Mallorca game, and Guardiola will also travel.

Tito Vilanova, the FC Barcelona assistant coach, has confessed to a press conference that Barça never find it easy to travel to Mestalla. “We have always found Valencia hard. We’ve never won there” he said.

FC Barcelona may have been without Valdés, Alves, Puyol and Xavi for the game in Mallorca, but they again demonstrated the depth in talent that Guardiola has at his disposal. Messi, Villa and Pedro were on target in the 3-0 win and Montoya made his first team debut.

Pep Guardiola has full faith in the players in the FC Barcelona squad and doesn’t think it will matter that five of them are out for the game in Mallorca on Saturday.

Xavi Hernandez downplayed the seriousness of the injury that will keep him sidelined for between 7 and 10 days. The midfielder hopes to be available for next Wednesday's match with València.

This morning, FC Barcelona President Sandro Rosell and Pep Guardiola signed the contract that will guarantee the services of the FC Barcelona manager until June 30, 2012.

Barça had to dig deep to overcome Athletic Bilbao at the Nou Camp tonight. An early David Villa opener and a 77th minute Messi goal gave them the win which reinforces their position at the top of the table.

Josep Guardiola will be on the bench this Sunday against Athletic Bilbao for his one hundredth league game. Since his debut away to Numancia, Guardiola has led his players to several records.

Barça lost away to Arsenal in a vibrant Champions League quarter final first leg. Two late goals cancelled out Villa’s opener, but all has yet to be decided at the Camp Nou.

Pep Guardiola won’t be giving up on the team’s trademark style for the game against Arsenal, even though the team will be up against a side who share their attacking instincts.

Pep Guardiola is taking all of the fit first team players he has to London for the first leg of the Champions League encounter with Arsenal. Thiago is also picked, but Puyol and Jeffren are out through injury.

FC Barcelona has now taken 22 Spanish Cups, equalling Real Madrid’s own record. The win in Madrid tonight also means that Regal Barça retained the title they won last year – the first time that’s been done since Aito’s Barça achieved it in 1988.

FC Barcelona picked up a valuable point at El Molinón thanks to a beautiful finish from Villa just ten minutes from the end. Barça had trailed for the whole game after Barral’s early opener.