league

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 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.

Barça's coach has given his first press conference since extending his contract by one more season and used the occasion to speak about motivation. “The day I lose my passion and strength, I’ll leave” he said.

FC Barcelona have beaten Atletico Madrid thanks to a Leo Messi hat-trick and in doing so have broken the record for consecutive wins in the league. The win leaves them momentarily ten points adrift of Real Madrid.

Barça recorded their 15th La Liga win on the trot in Alicante on Saturday night to set a new Club record and equal the competition’s best ever run which has been in place for 50 years.

Barça beat Hercules 0-3 tonight to record their 15th La Liga win on the trot. Pedro opened the scoring in the first half and two late strikes from Messi sealed the win and the points.

It was another party night at the Nou Camp tonight as Barça began the second half of the season with a convincing 3-0 win over Racing, who were chasing the game from the very first minute.

Josep Guardiola has warned that Racing are capable of causing Barça problems if his team fail to play with maximum concentration. The boss also commented on Alves’ and Pinto’s situation.

Barça thrashed Malaga 4-1 after another sublime first half performance and finish the first half of the Championship stronger leaders than ever. Iniesta, Villa (2) and Pedro were on target for Guardiola’s men as they ran up their 13th successive leag.

FC Barcelona have won at Riazor with goals from Villa, Messi, Iniesta and Pedro, three in the second half. That’s their ninth away win and takes them up to 49 points.

Barça will start 2011 without Messi, Puyol or Piqué against Levante, three of the most regular members of the first team.

Barça struck five again tonight as they brushed aside Espanyol 1-5 at the Cornella-El Prat Stadium with Pedro (2), Xavi and Villa (2) getting the goals for the La Liga leaders.

FC Barcelona will meet Arsenal in the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League with the first leg taking place at the Emirates on February 16 and the return game in Camp Nou on March 8.

After the first 15 matches of the new campaign FC Barcelona have made the best ever start in the history of the league with a record of 40 points.

FC Barcelona recorded their ninth consecutive victory as they eased past Real Sociedad on Sunday evening to go back to the top of the table thanks to two goals from Lionel Messi and one each from David Villa, Andrés Iniesta and Bojan Krkic.