málaga

If Barça win the remaining six points this season, the Blaugrana will retain the Spanish League crown! La Liga, just like life itself, presents us with a multitude of situations. When it looked as though the title was impossible for Barça after this weekend’s draw with Getafe, the Blaugrana were given a new chance to defend the title they won under the tutelage of Tito Vilanova. This Wednesday evening Real Madrid drew with Valladolid at the Nuevo Zorrilla (1-1), thus leaving the La Liga title in Barça’s hands. The fact that the Blaugrana host Atlético Madrid at the Camp Nou in the last game of the season means that Barça will have the chance to claim the title in front of the Camp Nou faithful.

FC Barcelona offer a brilliant all round performance as team cruise past Malaga with goals from Piqué, Pedro and Alexis. The Catalans put the institutional turmoil of the last week behind them, as they treated the Barça fans to a great night of football and reaffirmed their top spot in the Spanish League. Fast, precise and full of attacking threat, Barça returned to the Camp Nou after 18 fays without a home game and from the off they had Malaga pinned back in their own half. After just 5 minutes, Alexis rounded off a great team move with an effort which rattled the woodwork. Malaga showed that they could pose a threat too though, when Duda brought a good stop from Valdes from a free kick. Ibrahim Afellay got a big round of applause when he came on for Alexis.

A superb effort from Adriano gave Barça their second win of the Spanish League so far thanks to a superb Adriano goal just before half time. Valdés proved key to holding onto the win in the second half. The win was Barça’s seventh on the trot at Malaga’s La Rosaleda stadium. Neymar came on just past the hour mark for Pedro and after a fine individual run, the Brazilian tested Caballero with a well struck free kick. FC Barcelona is holding two league wins from two so far ahead of Wednesday night’s Spanish Super Cup second leg against Atletico Madrid at the Camp Nou.

Barça put four past Malaga in the last game of the season and hit the 100 point mark. The Catalans were three up after a quarter of an hour thanks to goals from Villa, Cesc and Montoya. Iniesta got the fourth in the second half before Morales got a consolation goal for Malaga. Abidal came on to a standing ovation on 75 minutes for his final minutes as a Barça player.

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.

Barça have been drawn to play PSG in the last eight of the Champions League. The first leg will be played in Paris’s Parc des Princes on the 2nd of April and the return game will be in Barcelona’s Camp Nou on the 10th of April. The Parisian outfit has made it into the quarter finals for the first time in 19 years after spending 240 million euros in two seasons. The other matches are Real Madrid vs Galatasaray, Bayern Munich vs Juventus and Málaga vs Borussia Dortmund.

Barça players faced Malaga’s challenge playing a magnificent game, after the quarter finals’ first leg draw at the Camp Nou. The Catalans won 4-2 in Malaga and now they are through to a Copa del Rey semi final against Real Madrid. The first leg of the ‘clasico’ will be next Wednesday at 21.00 at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium. Goals from Pedro, Piqué, Iniesta and Messi gave FC Barcelona the victory, after one of the finest examples of spectacular football.

The Barça striker will be available for the Spanish Cup quarter final’s second leg to be payed on Thursday against Málaga. Villa has been given the medical all clear to play on Tuesday, following his recovery from a calf injury.

Barça and Málaga drew in the Spanish Cup’s quarter final first leg. Camacho’s late goal cancelled out Barça’s comeback and leaves everything wide open ahead of the return leg in Andalusia. Iturra put the visitors ahead and although Barça almost immediately bounced back with goals from Messi and Puyol, not even against ten men after Monreal was ordered off were they able to extend their lead.

FC Barcelona Manager is wary Málaga despite the 1 to 3 result at La Rosaleda this Sunday: "It will be more difficult because our rival will play with the result". Vilanova called on the Camp Nou faithful to attend the match: "We have the chance to watch a game worthy of the Champions League. Excitement is guaranteed, in addition Messi will offer up his fourth Ballon d'Or". On Pep Guardiola's future, the Barça manager said that "it's great news [that he's coming back]. Football needs the best coach to manage again".

Goals from Messi, Cesc and Thiago gave Barça their 18th win from the first 19 Spanish League games, the championship record. The three points keep Barça 11 ahead of Atletico Madrid and stretch their advantage over the reigning champions Real Madrid to 18 after an incredible first half to the campaign. The win was a perfect example of Barça’s collective spirit, with a wonderful performance of possession football that left Malaga with no options whatsoever.

Thiago scored his first two goals of the season; Villa also got two, the first after a terrific individual move, and Alexis got back to his scoring ways with a brace. With this win, Barça reach the Spanish Cup quarter finals. Next up will be Malaga and Pellegrini. The first leg is next week at the Camp Nou and the return in a fortnight’s time at La Rosaleda Stadium. The downside to the night was injuries suffered by Sergi Roberto and Villa.

A goal from Puyol and a hat trick from Leo Messi, which served to take him past Gerd Muller’s previous record strikes in a European season, gave Guardiola, cheered all night by the crowd, another win at the Camp Nou. Two hours later, Real Madrid was winning the Spanish League title in San Mamés.

In the press conference before FC Barcelona vs Malaga, Barça’s Manager, Pep Guardiola, praised the way the Catalan club is handling the transition of managers. He also said that Tito Vilanova is “very enthusiastic about the upcoming challenge”. The current manager explained that Barça’s last three Spanish League matches will serve as preparation for the Spanish Cup final against Athletic Club from Bilbao.

Real Madrid dropped two more points with their second successive 1-1 draw against Villarreal in their last Spanish League game. After Barça’s win against Granada, the Catalans have reduce the gap from 10 to 6 points in only four days. The chase for the Spanish League’s leadership is livelier than ever.