Barca KO'd Almeria with 5:0

FC Barcelona ran over Almeria in the tonight's Primera Division game with 5:0. Barca are took the 3 points with ease and are leaders in Primera in the current table. The goals were scored by Eto'o (5th, 21st and 24th minute) , Henry (13th minute) and Dani Alves (37th minute). Almeria was lucky because they could've easily taken a two-digit loss. Tonights show is a second great game in a row for Barca after the crushing victory (0:5) over Basel three days ago. With tonight's hattrick Samuel Eto'o has 86 goals in 115 games.

I hope that those two games are the sign we all were waiting ... the Barca we want to watch is back.

Barcelona with a strong start in Europe

FC Barcelona have made a superb start to the Champions League group stage this season and have picked up nine points from a possible nine to take a huge stride towards qualifying for the next stage.

The Blaugrana are in great form and that has also been noted in la Primera, where Pep Guardiola’s team have won their last five consecutive matches. But it is in Europe that the team has really shone with three wins from their opening three games that has seen them move clear at the top of Group C.

The only teams with three wins

It may only appear to be three matches on the surface, but each game in the Champions League is a new test. The best demonstration of just how tough it is record such a run is that Barçá are the only one of the 32 teams in the competition to have won all three of their opening group games.
Goals galore

It can also be said that all three wins have been deserved after strong performances and, above all, creating plenty of chances. The team has scored ten goals in their trio of games, which gives them an average of 3.3 goals-per-game. Only Arsenal have an equal record. Another important factor is that eight of the ten goals have been scored by homegrown players .

Leaders in possession

Barça are not only out in front in terms of goals though. Also they are the only team in the competition to have had more than 60 per cent possession (62 per cent exactly). Real Madrid are second with 58 per cent. The Blaugrana are second in number of chances created with 24, behind Villarreal who have 27, and also in free-kicks won with 58, with Bayern Munich above them on 68.

Leo Messi scored his 50th goal

Lionel Messi scored his 50th goal for FC Barcelona in Saint Jakob-Park on Wednesday night with what was a superb effort that gave the away side the lead after just four minutes.

The first goal of the night by the Argentinian forward against FC Basel saw him clinch his half-century of goals for the Blaugrana. Messi has played 119 official matches since making his debut for the club on October 16, 2004 against Espanyol in Montjuïc.

37 goals in the league

The 50 goals that Messi has scored are divided up in the following manner: 37 in the league, ten in the Champions League and three in the Copa del Rey. His first ever goal came in week 34 of the 2004/05 campaign in Camp Nou against Albacete.

Eighth goal of the season

Of that half-century , eight have come in the 2008/09 campaign with five in the league and three more in the Champions League, tow of which came in the final minutes against Shakhtar in Donetsk.

Messi’s has netted eleven goals in 24 matches in Europe, which gives him an average of almost two goals-per-game.

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FC Basel 0 - 5 Barcelona FC

I think the results tells it all. We won 5-0 and Barca played one of the best games I've ever seen. A great game by our leaders Messi and Xavi. Dani Alves was the God of the right wing and Hleb helped a lot. I think this is a great achievement for Pep Guardiola.

After entering the game Henry tried pretty hard to score with all he's got but luck wasn't on his side tonight. However he managed to keep the opponent's defense busy for the last half an hour of the game.Brilliantly played game with almost no errors in defense and with beautiful and scoring offense.

Lets hope that every single fixture this season will be played with the same determination and ease as today's game.

Guardiola doesn't want to focus on the result against Basel

Pep Guardiola does not want the emphatic 0-5 scoreline secured against FC Basel to “confuse” his players as they turn their attention to the game at the weekend against Almería.

The Blaugrana coach believes that his squad should be focused “more on how it was achieved rather than the final result”, he told reporters. “I want to highlight the performance because we were able to not move a lot by moving the ball a great deal and that gives me great confidence,” he continued. Always exacting with his players and remaining prudent, Guardiola said that the 0-5 “cannot confuse” the squad and that the result “will not do us any good when looking towards the next game”.

Talent and strength

Despite that, Guardiola was happy with the attitude of the players throughout the 90 minutes and stated that victory against Basel came about through “talent and strength” of everyone of his team as they “played together and worked hard” throughout. “I sincerely believe that we have played better. With respect to FC Basel, we have not played as well as we have done in previous games,” he added.

Praise for Bojan and Hleb

Bojan Krkic scored two goals after being named in the starting team for the first time this season and was one of the main stars of the game. “Bojan is a very young player and has much to learn,” the trainer insisted. “He has played very well from the start, above all in the first half, and worked very well in the centre of the pitch. He done well and I am very pleased for him. I have to say that I am delighted with him and not just because of the goals. He deserves it because he is a great lad.

Guardiola was also keen to highlight Aliaksandr Hleb’s performance. “He knows how to play the game so well,” the coach continued. “He can play in four of five different positions. In his case I am especially pleased because I have been able to test him in the centre of the park. I know he will give a lot to the team this season.”

Confidence in the squad

On the matter of squad rotation, Guardiola insisted that he has “faith” in “all his players”. He went on: “The victories always justify the coach’s decision, but when the results do not go our way I will be the first one to explain things. I would never put anyone in the side that I did not think could contribute anything to the game because I have faith that every player here can give something. I am happy because I completely trust them all.”

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