FC Barcelona continued their winning streak to nine matches in all competitions and Valdes extended the clean sheet record for the third match in a row. Almeria would have been thankful to FC Barcelona players to take the foot off the pedal in the second half, otherwise it would have been resulted in their worst defeat in the league. Ironically their worst defeat came against the same opponenents. FC Barcelona scored five goals past the Almerian defense within 36 minutes of the game and that would have send shrivers through Europe. FC Barcelona would be the first team in everyones mind now to avoid in the knowckout stage of Champions League. The Almerian defense didn't do any big mistake; but FC barcelona boys tore them apart in one of the most enjoyed first half of this season. Guardiola decided to drop Iniesta to midfield and that mean the trio of Messi, Eto and Henry formed the forwards. Iniesta joined hands with Xavi and Toure in the midfield. Alves, Abidal, Puyol and Marquez formed the defense ahead of Valdes. This is an indication of the best FC Barcelona line-up for the rest of season.The game started in frantic pace. Almeria's Crosat headed wide in the 2nd minute to set up the pace of the game. In the 4th minute Xavi's shot was saved by Goal keeper Alves. But from the resulting corner Eto put Barca one up. Messi too k the corner which indeed was a poor one and ended with Toure outside the box. Toure produced a master ball towards spotting an excellent run from Iniesta, frantic defending saw the ball been headed but staright to the path of Eto who finished it with ease. In the 10th minute Alves who was working tirelessly send a cross from the left wing to find Henry, but defense cleared in time. Then in the 13th minute Henry got into the scoresheet with a wonderful assist from Messi. Messi played a great ball to Iniesta whose run took him into a very tight angle; Iniesta played the ball back to the centre but towards defense; but they cleared it on to the path of Messi who crossed it to Henry who was at the far post and had the simplest of tapping to do. In the 16th minute Messi sets up on his trade mark run dribbling past defenders but his shot went wide of far post. In the 18th minute Barca was almost caught out when Alves has to clear out the danger with a header. In the 19th minute it was Eto's shot to test the Goal keeper again but he shot at straight at Alves after the defense cleared the ball staright to him. Then in the 21st minute FC barcelona made the scoreline 3-0 with Eto's second goal of the night. Iniestafound Xavi's run with a great through pass; Xavi unselfishly squares it to Eto who had another simple tapping. In the 24th minute Eto compleetd his hat-trick with another simple tapping after Messi had done all the hard work. Messi dribbled in to the box from the left and used the dfenders body well to get past him; he the squared the ball to Eto who finished off with a good back heel. In the 28th minute Victor Valdes pulled of a great save to deny Crosat. In the 30th minute Negredo was send off after a rash challenge on Marquez. Down to ten men it was always tough for Almeria to defend and Alves made it more pathetic with a goal scored of the free kick in the 37th minute from 30 yards out.
In the second half FC Barcelona took the pedal completely off the foot but made sure that they dominated the possesion. In the 50th minute Henry made space for himself with a great touch from a Abidal pass but shot high. He did all the tough work there with simple ease. Guardiola tried to bring back the pace with bringing Hleb in for toure, Bojan in for Henry and Victor Sanchez in for Alves. But nothing seemed to have worked and the players seemed to have cooled off. In the 86th minute Eto was denied by the Goal Keeper from a great cross from Puyol. In the 90th minute Valdes had to make a goo save from mane's effort to make sure that he retains the clean sheet. Whatever FC barcelona played like champions in the first half and you cannot blame them for taking the foot off the pedal in the second half. Henry would have been one person who would have been greatly impressed by Iniesta's performance in the middle. Toure was majestic throughout the match, so did Abidal.
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