Barca gets the fifth in Vallecas, Valencia stumbles

Last update 16 November, 2012 por Julio Muñoz

Barcelona swept Rayo Vallecano by 0-5 with a double from Argentine Leo Messi, consolidating its leadership in the Spanish League and increasing the provisional advantage with Real Madrid to eleven points, who plays with Mallorca on Sunday in the ninth day.

Unlike the usual trend and as his coach Paco Jémez had made clear in the previous, Rayo came out to play Barcelona face to face. By dint of drive and motivation, he achieved it in the first minutes, when he added several arrivals although none with danger.

Before the losses of Carles Puyol, Gerard Piqué and Argentine Javier Mascherano, Coach Tito Vilanova gave the central pair another twist and this time opted for Brazilian Adriano and Sergio Busquets. Cameroonian Alex Song took the place of the Spanish international as defensive midfielder.

But Barcelona had not finished waking up, when a steal of the ball on the three-quarter line and a precise cross-assist by Cesc Fabregas as David Villa unchecked led to the first Barça goal (minute 20). The Asturian defined with a single touch against Rubén and added his fourth goal in the League playing very few minutes.

Despite the goal, Barcelona did not take over the absolute government of the match. Without Andrés Iniesta, on the bench, and with Cesc and Song in the center, the game was played at a pace more than the usual Barça cadence.

At the beginning of the second part came the sentence. In a transition, Pedro yielded to Martín Montoya, that I had folded it, and the squad served the Argentine Leo Messi to execute arriving from behind (48) and will score his 12th goal in the championship.

Chilean Alexis Sánchez, who had entered through Villa, He was about to score but his header was stopped by Rubén, who had already shone before responding with a flight to a distant free kick by Messi. In one of the last plays, the former Udinese footballer once again demonstrated the lack of confidence he has at this start of the championship by not being able to overcome the Rayista goalkeeper in another clear arrival.

The third goal came from the other band. This time it was the left-back Jordi Alba who advanced and helped Xavi Hernández, awarded the Prince of Asturias Award on Friday, will score his goal (78).

Barça was unleashed and Rayo granted spaces. Pedro served for Cesc to make the fourth (80).

Finally Messi, after dribbling Rubén, closed the Barcelona account (89) and achieved his 73rd goal of the year 2012, the 301st of his career as a footballer with only 25 años.

Antes, Celta and Deportivo tied (1-1) in Vigo in the Galician derby. In a highly contested match and with alternatives, Celta took the lead through veteran scorer Mario Bermejo (8).

The Depor, commanded by an elegant Juan Carlos Valerón, He tied the minute 29, when the canary leaked a pass between the lines to Juan Domínguez to beat Javi Varas.

El Valencia, meanwhile, lost in his visit to Betis (1-0), so it continues away from the head positions (9º), while the Sevillian team occupies the fourth, that gives access to the Champions League.

Finally the fashion team in Europe, the Malaga (three victories in ‘Champions’ and no goal conceded), drew without goals in Barcelona against Espanyol.

Real Madrid play with Mallorca on Sunday with the pressure of knowing that a defeat leaves them eleven points behind Barcelona, a difficult distance to reduce against a team that has eight wins and a draw. El Atlético de Madrid, meanwhile, with three points less than Barcelona in the provisional classification, receive Osasuna.