Valerenga v FC Barcelona: Oslo sees first Barça win of 2013/14 preseason (0-7)

Barcelona (FCB).- Barça cruised to victory against Valerenga in the second game of the 2013/14 preseason. First half goals from Alexis, Tello, Messi and Dos Santos and from Dongou (2) and Joan Román in the second brought FC Barcelona their first win of the preseason, and a major boost to their confidence after the 2-0 reverse in Munich on Wednesday. The new Barça manager, Tata Martino, was watching from the stands in the Ullevaal Stadium.

Three goals in quarter of an hour

Barça got off to a storming start. After just thirteen minutes they had already found the Valerenga net three times. All three goals involved Leo Messi, who assisted Alexis with the first, and Tello with the second, before rifling home the third from the edge of the area. The Argentinean came close on several occasions to getting a fourth, but home stopper Hirschfeld produced some fine saves, and another of his efforts hit the post. It was total dominance all the way for the visitors, and Dos Santos finally made it four just before the break, the assist this time coming from Alexis Sánchez.

Alexis and Dongou link up well

Unlike in Munich, where Barça changed the whole team at half time, there were just three substitutions at half-time. On came Oier, Samper and Dongou, and the latter in particular was spectacular in the second half. He scored Barça’s fifth and sixth, with the defining passes coming on both occasions from Alexis Sánchez.

The remaining first team players were gradually withdrawn, and by the end of the game all ten outfield players were from Barça B. Joan Román finished off a wonderful performance from the Catalans with an 87th minute goal. All told, it was an impressive win to get some confidence back into the team before Tata Martino definitively takes over at the helm of the first team squad.