Messi shows no mercy as Barca hit four past Zaragoza.


Match Report: Saturday 26/09/2007 22:00 hrs (GMT +1), La Liga Match Day 5
FC BARCELONA - REAL ZARAGOZA 4-1 ( 4-1 )


Stadium: Camp Nou, Barcelona

Capacity : 98,772
Referee: Velasco Carballo

Goals:


1-0 - Messi ( 5' )
1-2 - Zapater ( 9' )

2-1 - Messi ( 10' )
3-1 - Iniesta ( 22' )

4-1 - Marquez ( 45' )


Cautions:
Yellow Card :

FC Barcelona - Toure Yaya ( 49' ), Marquez ( 57' )


Real Zaragoza - Diogo ( 62' ), Chus Herrero ( 67' , Gabi ( 73' )


Possession:
FC Barcelona 67%

Real Zaragoza 33%


Corner Kicks:
FC Barcelona 12

Real Zaragoza 0


Shots on Goal:
FC Barcelona - 25

Real Zaragoza - 5


Line-Up:
FC Barcelona (4-3-3): Valdes, Zambrotta ( Oleguer, 20' ), Marquez, Milito, Abidal, Toure Yaya, Xavi, Deco ( Giovani, 73' ), Iniesta, Messi ( Bojan, 82' ), Henry

Manager: Frank Rijkaard


Real Zaragoza (4-4-2): Cesar, Diogo, Sergio, Pavon, Juanfran, Matuzalem ( Chus Herrero, 53' ), Luccin ( Gabi, 43' ), Zapater, Aimar, Oliviera, Diego Milito ( Sergio Garcia, 58' )
Manager: Victor Fernandez


Match Report:

Lionel Messi continued from where he had stopped against Sevilla, shaking up the Zaragoza defence and hitting the net twice, just like he did against Sevilla.


Barcelona attacked from the outset, with Iniesta and Messi both threatening in the opening minutes. Iniesta saw his shot deflected wide and Messi drilled his effort just past the post. Magical Messi was soon on the scoresheet, giving Barcelona the lead after five minutes. The youngster galloped forward and played a one-two with Henry on the edge of the area, before blasting an unstoppable left-foot shot into the top corner.


A minute later, that joy turned to anger as Iniesta was denied a penalty following a clumsy challenge by Diogo. At the other end, Diego Milito found space in the area and fired a low shot against the post as Zaragoza showed they were not willing to merely make up the numbers.


The visitors then levelled after nine minutes. Ricardo Oliveira fed Pablo Aimar on the edge of the area and the Argentina forward rolled the ball to the right for the advancing Zapater, who fired an angled drive past Victor Valdes.


Barcelona soon regained control of the game, however. Deco won the ball back in a crowd of defenders after Rafael Marquez had been upended on the edge of the box and touched the ball forward for Messi, who snuck through the sea of bodies to fire home from 12 yards and bag his fifth goal in three games. Henry almost put Barcelona three ahead after 13 minutes following a one-two with Iniesta, but Cesar got down well to make a low save.


The Catalans were playing wonderful football and soon made it 3-1 with an exquisite team goal. Messi unselfishly slid the ball to the better-placed Deco from the edge of the box and the Portugal playmaker drove across the face of goal for the advancing Iniesta to tap home an easy finish on 22 minutes.


Messi and Henry both got through on goal later in the half, but were each denied by the linesman's flag. However, Frank Rijkaard's side did add a fourth goal just before the break. Cesar pushed Deco's free-kick against the crossbar and the rebound fell to Marquez, who headed home from close range.


The second half began with less intensity than the first, but Barcelona looked as dangerous as ever and Messi almost completed his hat-trick on 64 minutes, but his attempted lob sailed just over the bar. Valdes then saved well from Ricardo Oliveira to preserve the Catalans' three goal advantage.


Barcelona then almost stretched their lead once more when Iniesta struck the post on 71 minutes. Four minutes later, Henry got into the area on the right-hand side, but Cesar made a good save as substitute Giovani Dos Santos, unmarked in the centre, looked on in frustration.


Henry tried his luck again soon after, but was off target with a long-range effort and was also frustrated by Cesar after getting past two defenders in the last minute.


The match ended with FC Barcelona routing their opponents 4-1 and showing that their best form is approaching fast.


My Comments:
Scintillating display by the team reputed with the most beautiful display of football artistry in Europe. When Barca are playing their best football, even their opponents will stand up and applaud.


20-year old Lionel Messi proved he is riduculously talentd, running rings round the Zaragoza defenders and striking up selfless and stylish combinations with Thierry Henry and Andres Iniesta to produce a nighmare trip to Camp Nou for Real Zaragoza.


4-1 was a good score and the rise in form is even better. Once Thierry Henry works on his luck, as the French striker has been abnormally unlucky without a La Liga goal so far, the goal tally against FC Barcelona's opponents are set to double. Maybe this will commence with Levante in the next La Liga match on Saturday, 29th September.