Big wins for Barcelona and Real Madrid

By Munish Verma

• Leaders Barcelona maintained their 13-point gap at the top after a much-changed team hammered Real Mandrid 5-0 at the Nou Camp in a match which marked Eric Abidal's return to action.
• Cesc Fabregas scored a hat-trick for Barcelona and he opened the scoring on 20 minutes before Alexis Sanchez doubled the lead two minutes later.
• Former Arsenal midfielder Fabregas netted again on 37 minutes and a minute into the second half, after Sanchez had made it 4-0 before half-time.
• In the 70th minute, Abidal made his first appearance for Barcelona's first team following a liver transplant 12 months ago and he was given a standing ovation when he replaced Gerard Pique.
• A much-changed Real Madrid recovered from another slow start to secure a regulation 5-1 home win over European hopefuls Levante.
• Jose Mourinho made seven changes from the team that beat Galatasaray 3-0 to take control of their Champions League quarter-final in midweek.
• Real fell behind to Michel's 31st minute goal for Levante, but the hosts' response was swift, however, as Gonzalo Higuain hooked in before a Kaka penalty sent Madrid ahead within eight minutes of falling behind.
• Cristiano Ronaldo was introduced at the break and killed the game off on 84 minutes before fellow substitute Mesut Ozil added two more to lift Real four points clear of third-placed city rivals Atletico.
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• Real Sociedad opened up a four-point lead on their rivals for fourth place in the Primera Division with a resounding 4-2 win at home to Malaga.
• The hosts took a commanding lead in the first half thanks to a frenetic nine minutes in which they found the net three times, through Carlos Vela, Alberto de la Bella and Antoine Griezmann.
• Pedro Morales pulled one back for Malaga before the break, but any hope of a comeback was then vanquished by a goal by Inigo Martinez shortly after the re-start.
• Roque Santa Cruz scored a second consolation goal with 20 minutes remaining, but a home victory was never in doubt, which means Sociedad are ever closer to qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in 10 years.
• Deportivo La Coruna gave their hopes of avoiding relegation from the Primera Division a fillip by beating fellow strugglers Real Zaragoza 3-2 in a thriller at the Riazor.
• Bruno Gama put Deportivo ahead early in the first half but Helder Postiga levelled from the penalty spot and then Paco Montanes put Manolo Jimenez's visitors ahead.

However, Carlos Marchena equalised before half-time and Depor took the lead for a second time 10 minutes into the second half thanks to an own goal by Abraham Minero, whose night was made even worse when he was sent off with nine minutes remaining.

Depor have now won three consecutive games and moved off the bottom of the table for the first time since December 2. Meanwhile, Zaragoza, who have not been in the relegation zone once all season, could find themselves in it by Sunday lunchtime. More detail available on :- http://www.football365.com/news/

Barcelona vs. Real Madrid: Best and Worst Performances from Clasico Match

Anytime Barcelona and Real Madrid get together, fireworks are sure to follow.
The two bitter rivals added yet another chapter to their storied rivalry as Real Madrid scored the 2-1 victory in a thriller that lived up to the hype. Barcelona may have put some of their first line players on the bench to start the match, but it didn't take away from the intensity of the game.
In the grand scheme of things, this won't mean much in terms of the La Liga table. However, the bragging rights now reside in Madrid for this classic rivalry.
Here were the best and worst performances on each side that shaped the way the match went down.

February 17, 2013

Real Madrid vs Barcelona: Ronaldo demolishes hosts to book Copa final berth

 
Barcelona: Real Madrid stormed into the Copa del Rey final in the most stunning manner possible, with an emphatic 3-1 victory over Barcelona at Camp Nou in the second leg of their last-four clash on Tuesday.

With a 1-1 home draw to overcome from the first leg, Jose Mourinho looked on in jubilation as his team executed their gameplan to perfection, frustrating the Catalans at the back, and through an inspirational Cristiano Ronaldo, giving a counter-attacking clinic up front.

The Portuguese opened the scoring from the penalty spot 12 minutes in, becoming the first player to score in six successive Clasicos away from home, and finished off a surging break shortly before the hour mark to put Madrid in the driving seat.

Raphael Varane put the finishing touches on an unbelievable night for the visitors when he headed home a corner, with Jordi Alba`s late goal coming as little consolation for the hosts.

Los Blancos now await either Sevilla or Atletico Madrid in the showpiece event on May 18.
Sergio Busquets, Cesc Fabregas and Xavi returned to start in midfield for the hosts, with Carles Puyol partnering Gerard Pique in defence. For Madrid, Varane, the standout performer from the first leg, started alongside Sergio Ramos at centre-back.

Barca started positively, and with only two minutes on the clock, were nearly ahead. Pedro did brilliantly to turn Fabio Coentrao inside out and square for Lionel Messi, who narrowly missed the target from a tight angle.

But instead, it would be Madrid who would take the lead. Ronaldo was simply too quick for Pique, and was tripped up inside the area, leaving the referee with no choice but to award a penalty, from which the Portuguese forward slotted coolly into the bottom corner.

The Catalans exhibited their customary dominance of the ball, but Mourinho’s men were ready with discipline and numbers at the back, and a pacey threat on the counter whenever they won possession.

Referee Alberto Undiano Mallenco?, already the villain of the piece in the eyes of the Camp Nou faithful for the decision against Pique, was showered with further vitriol from the stands after correctly denying penalty appeals for Fabregas and Pedro.

And the home fans were left frustrated again moments before half-time, when Messi drilled a free kick agonisingly into the side netting, with half of the stadium already celebrating a goal.

The Blaugrana went close again minutes after the restart when Diego Lopez parried an effort by Busquets, with Alvaro Arbeloa taking the rebound off the toes of Fabregas from point blank range.

But much like the start of the first half, the chance was spurned, and again, Madrid would punish their profligacy on the counter-attack, this time putting the tie virtually out of reach.

Sami Khedira’s sublime first-time pass after winning the ball released Angel Di Maria against Puyol. The Barca captain was left on his backside by the skill of the winger, whose initial shot was parried by Jose Pinto, only for Ronaldo to bury the rebound.

And with 22 minutes left, Madrid were in dreamland again, when Varane rose highest to head home Mesut Ozil’s corner in almost identical fashion to his goal in the first leg.

Flares were set off in the stands as a few home fans lost patience with events on the pitch, but their mood improved ever so slightly just before injury time when Alba ghosted in behind the full-back to slot Andres Iniesta`s clipped pass beyond Lopez.

But the damage was long done by the irrepressible visitors, who will now contest the final in three months. The Clasico drama is not quite done, however, as both sides will lock horns at Santiago Bernabeu in la Liga on Saturday.