betis

Former youth team coach takes over for first permanent stint in charge of club

Former youth team coach takes over for first permanent stint in charge of club

Andalusians spoil Leo Messi’s return to action with a shock victory in dramatic encounter at the Camp Nou

Whether the result means that Barça have gained one point or dropped two is a matter of opinion after a dramatic lunchtime encounter on Sunday ended 1-1. Betis have yet to lose at home under Victor Sánchez and today we got to see why, but right at the final gasp Luis Suárez made sure the Catalans at least got something out of this game. However, the role of goal-line technology in football will be a much-discussed topic in the bars of Barcelona for the rest the day. And probably most of the week. Certainly once, and maybe twice, the Barça equaliser could have come much earlier had hawk-eye have been allowed to watch.

FC Barcelona maintained their title challenge this Saturday in a rollercoaster win against a spirited Betis side fighting to avoid the drop.  The visitors provided plenty of nervous moments for the Camp Nou fans and were even on top times, but two goals from Leo Messi plus a Jordi Figueras own goal were enough to keep pace with  Atlético Madrid at the top of La Liga.  The players can now turn their attentions to the Champions League.

The Argentinean is set to play for the first time since he was injured against Betis at the Benito Villamarín Stadium 58 days ago. He has been named in the FC Barcelona squad to face Getafe at the Spanish Cup on Wednesday. On the 10^th of November, in the 19^th minute, Messi injured himself and had to be substituted. Up to that point he had scored 14 goals and 16 official matches. On the day after, tests confirm that he had torn a hamstring muscle and would be out for 6 to 8 weeks. On the 20^th of December, tests confirm the player had completed the clinical phase of his recovery and on the 2^nd January he trains with the squad again.

Leo Messi, FC Barcelona’s Argentinean star, has a muscle tear in his left hamstring. The Catalan club’s medical services confirmed after tests this Monday morning that Messi has a torn hamstring muscle in his left thigh and is expected to miss the next 6 to 8 weeks.  The first phase of Messi’s recovery will be covered in Barcelona and he will then travel to Buenos Aires. The Argentinean was substituted on 19 minutes of the Betis- Barça game on Sunday for a muscle pain. This is Messi’s third injury this season. In late August he was out for 1 week and in late September he got injured again and was out for 3 weeks.

Neymar, Pedro and Cesc (2) score to put Barça three points ahead of Atletico Madrid at the top of the Spanish League table with a 1-4 win at Betis’ Benito Villamarín on Sunday evening. This wasn’t as straightforward a win for Barça as the score might suggest though, with a brave Betis side never giving up and the worrying sight of Leo Messi limping off in the first half. It was Betis who created the chances early on, with the excellent Victor Valdés saving the day with two great stops from Jorge Molina and Juan Carlos, as FC Barcelona struggled to deal with the loss of Messi  - replaced by Iniesta on 20 minutes.

The Spanish League leaders are going to Seville without Piqué or Busquets for the final match before the international break. The former is out as a precautionary measure and the latter is being rested, and their absences will make what is already a difficult fixture even harder still. Bur despite Martino’s rotation system, Barça are still unbeaten this season, and will hoping things stay that way. However, Barça have only won two of their last eleven games at the Villamarín Stadium against Betis, a ground at which they have struggled to get results since 2000.

Two goals from Messi set up the fightback against Betis to leave Barça just two points off the Spanish League title. Tito Vilanova’s side came back from1-2 down at the break to beat Betis 4-2. Villa and the superb Messi, who had started on the bench – turned the result round to beat a brave Betis. The win means Barça are 11 points ahead of second place Real Madrid, with just four games remaining, Mourinho’s side play against Malaga on Wednesday in a game brought forward because of their involvement in the Spanish Cup final and if they fail to win, Barça will be champions.

The Spanish League leaders get their eighth straight win on the road and in all their 14th of the season. Messi put Barça ahead with two early goals to beat Müller’s record. Betis pulled a goal back before the break and hit the post three times in the second half. Messi and Jordi Alba also hit the wood work.

An injury time equaliser from Keita saved a point for Barça, who had gone ahead in the first half through Sergio Busquets, before losing Alves to a second yellow just after the break. With this match, FC Barcelona end the Spanish League season in the second place, on 91 points and having scored 114 goals. Valdes is the League’s best keeper and Messi, the best scorer. Next step: the Spanish Cup Final with Bilbao’s Athletic Club.

Barça beat Betis 4-2 at the Camp Nou after the Seville team had fought back from 2-0 down in the second half. Xavi, Messi (2) and Alexis were on target for FC Barcelona. Betis’ two goals were the first Barça have conceded at home in this season’s Spanish League.