Copa del Rey: Barcelona beats Alaves 3-0

Barcelona didn't need Lionel Messi to secure a successful start to its Copa del Rey defense Tuesday, beating third-tier Alaves 3-0 after goals by David Villa, Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas. Andres Iniesta celebrated being named on the shortlist for the FIFA World Player of the Year award with a glorious goal for Barcelona as the holders won 3-0 at Alaves in a King's Cup last-32 first leg on Tuesday. The Spain playmaker, who struck the winning goal in the 2010 World Cup final, had limited space on the edge of the area when he curled a delicate shot into the top corner to double Barca's lead after 50 minutes. Alaves reached the final of the UEFA Cup in 2001 and now play their football in the third tier of Spanish football but battled hard against a Barca side who were without the rested Lionel Messi.

The 2001 Uefa Cup finalists who lost to Liverpool are now in Segunda B, the Spanish third tier. The Alaves keeper Urtzi Iturrioz was kept busy by an Alexis Sanchez header and a shot by Iniesta from the edge of the area before Villa fired Barca ahead on 40 minutes as he crashed a shot in off the crossbar after receiving a long ball from Iniesta. Alaves have a mountain to climb if they are to come back in next month's second leg at the Nou Camp, particularly after Cesc Fabregas headed a third for the unbeaten La Liga leaders at the end.

Villa opened the scoring in the 40th minute when he perfectly timed his run past Alaves' back four to powerfully latch onto a long pass by Iniesta and send it into the net via the crossbar. Villa, who missed the second half of last season and the European Championship after breaking his leg, said he's enjoying every minute being back on the pitch. "From hospital it was difficult to score goals," Villa said. "After all this time I want to play as much as possible, but I am in the hands of professionals and they know what's best for me." Coach Tito Vilanova had decided to rest Messi, forward Pedro Rodriguez, midfielder Xavi Hernandez and defender Jordi Alba for the game. With several other defenders out injured, Vilanova selected Martin Montoya, Javier Mascherano, Marc Bartra and Dani Alves for the back four.

credits to: http://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Barcelona-beats-Alaves-3-0-in-Copa-del-Rey-3994537.php

Jordi Alba 'the Hero' breaks Celtic hearts: 94th, 2-1

A Jordi Alba goal in the final minute of injury time sparked off celebrations at the Camp Nou. It was just reward for Barça against a Celtic side that only wanted to defend its early lead. “We know it won’t be easy against Celtic because we have already suffered at home against Spartak when they came close to winning,” left-back Alba said. Celtic were denied a famous draw in the Nou Camp last night with the last kick of the game. For 93 minutes it looked as though their English-born goalkeeper Fraser Forster would earn them a point but when Adriano crossed with Barcelona's last attack Jordi Alba scored from a yard out.

The goal made Barça hungrier than ever, but also got the Scots concentrating even more earnestly on keeping things as tight as physically possible at the back. It wasn’t pretty football, but it was remarkably effective, with Barça in almost total control of the ball but failing to produce much in the way of real chances in the first 45 minutes. It needed a little piece of magic, and that finally came a matter of seconds before the break. When Messi, Xavi and Iniesta combine to create an attacking move, you always suspect that something special might happen. And indeed it did. A pinpoint strike from Iniesta finally had Forster beaten. All square at half time. 

A first-half own goal from Javier Mascherano rewarded Neil Lennon's team for playing with calm intelligence and although Andrés Iniesta equalised on the stroke of half-time and David Villa hit the post in second-half added time, goalkeeper Fraser Forster appeared to have earned Celtic a valuable point. That was until Adriano arced in a perfect right-wing cross and Alba applied the finish.

The Celtic coach's animation was in stark contrast to the man alongside him on the touchline. Barcelona's Tito Vilanova was as passive as his team, who at that stage were playing none of their mesmerising football. Adriano tried his luck from distance but Forster, looking assured, got down to his near post to make the comfortable save. On 34 minutes there were even Olé cries from the Celtic fans as their team briefly kept possession in midfield with audacious ease. With a quarter of an hour to go, Vilanova sent on Tello and Villa for Pedro and Alexis. The Asturian was played as an out-and-out striker in search of a second goal, while Tello and Alba slotted in on the wings. It was a risky move, even though by now Celtic were clearly quite happy to settle for a draw. But Barça wanted more, and made the green-and-whites pay for their lack of ambition.

In the final minute, it looked like Villa had finally done it, but his shot struck the post. However, the best had yet to come. With the referee just seconds away from blowing time on an intense footballing spectacle, Jordi Alba pounced on a killer pass from Adriano. Of all people, the two full backs had combined to bring Barça a goal just when it looked like they had left it too late. The Camp Nou went wild. And had every right to do so. An extraordinarily tense evening had ended in the most dramatic of fashions. And the upshot of it all is that Barcelona maintain their one hundred per cent record and a five-point lead over Celtic, who stay second. A place in the last sixteen is already well in sight.

credits to: http://www.fcbarcelona.com/football/first-team/match-archive/2012-2013/champions-league/round-3-g/fc-barcelona_celtic

Preview 'La Liga': Barcelona-Granada, 22 September 2012

The fifth consecutive win, 15 points out of 15 available: what asks Vilanova to Messi and company is to win, always. The Granada does not seem an insurmountable obstacle.

Barcelona take on Granada tonight in La Liga action, looking for their fifth win in as many league matches. Granada on the other hand are looking for their first win of the season, but chances are that they will have to wait another week with Barcelona in such sensational form. The Blaugrana may have injury concerns at the back, but with Lionel Messi and co in such great goal-scoring form, they should have enough to see off Juan Antonio Anquela's team.

FC Barcelona face the Andalusians with a number of absences in their rearguard. Without Puyol and Piqué, Tito Vilanova will need to change his defensive plans. The most likely candidates to join Mascherano as the other centre back are Bartra and Song, although Sergio Busquets has also shown in the past that he’s capable of playing in that position. But those problems aside, Barça can welcome back Jordi Alba, who is now fully recovered from a nasty attack of the flu.

The Andalusians were extremely poor on the road in the previous campaign and have lost nine of their last 11 away matches. The Catalan's strength at home is of course well documented, with April's defeat to Real Madrid the only time in the last 15 league matches they have failed to win at Camp Nou. 

David Villa says he feels now ready to return full time, but Vilanova not see it that way. For the Barca's trainer, ''el guaje'' has 45 minutes in his legs, but did not dispel the doubts about its use from the beginning. Unlike the speech for Alex Song: the new signing of Barcelona is likely to start again from the bench, despite the many absences in defense. Vilanova sees as central praises his commitment and his technical skills, but probably prefer the young Bartra. The only chance for the former Arsenal could come from midfield in case Vilanova decides to rest some players.

There are not only positive news for the Catalans. This season, the port of Valdez has remained inviolate only one chance out of 7 games played (Valencia) and Barça had to replace the score three times. Tito Vilanova about Messi: "Leo is the best player in the world, if not the history, it will eventually be," he says, and "it is important that it be put in a position to end his career here. We will not see a player like him. "The important thing is to keep him, how it is for other people.