Barça won their opening game of the Champions League with a 3-2 win over Spartak Moscow, who had been 1-2 up with half an hour to play. Tello and Messi, twice, scored the goals, with Piqué’s injury the big negative from the game.
Barça brushed off any effects of a busy week of international games with a convincing 1-4 win at the always tricky Getafe with goals from Adriano, Messi (2) and Villa. Real Madrid lost against Sevilla and Barça are now 8 points ahead.
A wonderful first half goal from the Brazilian full back made it three wins out of three for FC Barcelona. The Catalans are two points clear at the top of the Spanish League table going into September’s international break.
FC Barcelona’s midfielder edged out team-mate Leo Messi and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo for the award that distinguishes him as the best player in Europe.
After taking it for the last three years, Barça lost their Spanish Super Cup title on Wednesday night, going down narrowly in Madrid and losing the tie on the away goals rule. Higuaín and Cristiano Ronaldo put Real Madrid ahead early on and Barça played with 10 men for more than an hour after Adriano was sent off. Messi brought Barça back into the tie with a superb free kick just before the break. Pedro, Alba, Montoya and Messi all came close to getting the goal that would have meant Barça retained their title.
Barça will face off against Real Madrid on Wednesday evening (22.30 CET) as the Catalans look to claim their first title under Tito Vilanova. FC Barcelona come into the match against Real Madrid with a 3-2 advantage from the away leg of the Spanish Super Cup. Any result from the last Real Madrid v. Barça matches at the Bernabéu (five victories and two draws) would be enough for FC Barcelona to claim the title. Tito Vilanova may have to rule out Carles Puyol, who sustained a cheekbone fracture in this weekend’s game against Osasuna, even though the captain travelled with the team to Madrid.
Two second half goals from Messi turned around an early strike by Osasuna’s Joseba Llorente to give Barça the points in Pamplona. Real Madrid was defeated by Getafe. Real Madrid and FC Barcelona will play the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup Final next Wednesday.
FC Barcelona, led by an outstanding Iniesta, came back from 1-0 behind to take a one-goal lead into the second leg of the Spanish Supercup. Misfortune struck in the 84th minute, when one chance was squandered and shortly after Real Madrid scored a second goal that leaves plenty left to decide in the return leg.
Barça and Real Madrid go head to head this Thursday evening (10.30 pm CET) in the Camp Nou for the first trophy of the season. The third match in five days in the Camp Nou could feature Alex Song’s FC Barcelona debut.
Puyol opened the scoring with a header after just three minutes. The Basques drew level six minutes later through Chory Castro. Barça hit back with two goals from Leo Messi to make it 3-1 within the first 15 minutes. Pedro and the returning Villa rounded off the scoring with goals at the end of each half. It was an emphatic win in Tito Vilanova’s opening Spanish League game.
Barça players face a hectic opening of the season, with five games in the first fifteen days - three league matches and the two Spanish Super Cup games against Real Madrid. In addition, next Monday’s Joan Gamper Estrella Damm Trophy pits them against Sampdoria.
Sis Barça players are flying to Puerto Rico to play for Spain. Valdés, Piqué, Sergio Busquets, Iniesta, Pedro and Cesc have all been called up by Vicente Del Bosque.Afellay has been picked in Louis van Gaal’s first squad, while Mano Menezes is taking Alves to the friendly between Sweden and Brazil. Messi and Mascherano are also in Sabella’s squad for a game with Germany, and Alexis Sánchez will be crossing the Atlantic for Chile’s game with Ecuador.
Barça won the Paris Trophy beating PSG on penalties after Messi and Rafinha had scored to make it 2-2 at full time. After the friendlies in Hamburg (1-2) and Tangier (0-8), this was a tougher test for Tito Villanova’s men, as Carlos Ancelotti’s much reinforced PSG , who are looking to be a force in the European game this coming season, held them to a 2-2 draw at the Parc de Principes, before the visitors won on penalties.
A study by the University of Navarra has revealed that Barça is the football club that received most media coverage worldwide for the fourth year on the run, this time ahead of Real Madrid and Chelsea in second and third spots. The study also found that Leo Messi was the player who received most media coverage, also for the fourth successive year, ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Didier Drogba.
FC Barcelona have won their 26th Copa del Rey title after beating Athletic Club, the team with the second most Cup titles in the competition, by 0-3. This was Pep Guardiola’s 12th final on the Barça bench, he leaves the team after winning 11 of those finals and only losing one.