- FC Barcelona gave the best Get-Well Message to Vilanova with a 3-1 win
- Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez and Christian Tello scored for Barca
FC Barcelona went into the Christmas break with a comfortable 3-1 victory against Real Valladoid. It was comfortable till the time we conceded an unnecessary goal in the 89th minute made it a bit nervy. Xavi Hernandez opened the scoring for us, Messi scored teh customary goal in the second half and Tello made it a comfortable win for Barca. This match was a testing point to see whether Barca will struggle with the absence of Tito Vilanova. The initial signs are not good for our opponents. The starting line-up selected by Jordi Roura was in the expected line. Valdes, Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Alba, Xavi, Busquets, Thiago, Messi, Pedro and Alexis. Iniesta was supposed to carry a knock and expectedly started on the bench. The only surprise was not to see Villa in the starting line-up.
In the 5th minute Messi wasted a great chance to take an early lead. Sanchez sent in a great cross across the face of goal, Messi surprisingly managed to miss it. The game was struggling into emerge in to any shape. Valladoid was trying to stay compact through middle and hit us on counter. We had the possesional advantage but couldn't make much in the frist twenty minutes. But soon we started to push their backline back with a series of run at them. In the 34th minute Messi forced a save from the Valladoid keeper. In the 36th minute Thiago won a free kick at the edge of box, Messi's brilliantly free kick hit the inside of the post and stayed out. In the 43rd minute Xavi Hernandez opened the goal scoring in a classic Barca passing style. Xavi started the move giving the ball to Messi, after that a series of quick interplay saw Messi releasing Alba on the left, whose brilliant cross was turned into the net by Xavi in the middle.
In the 48th minute Pedro had his header blocked by the post. This guy cannot buy a goal at the moment even if he have a billion dollars. In the 58th minute Lionel Messi saw a shot go wide after Sanchez did well to win possession from Valladoid defenders. But there was no need to be disappointed as Messi made ammends the very next minute to make it 2-0. Just like that he got through a host of Valladoid defenders and finished into the far left corner. In the 63rd minute Valladoid almost conceded a freakish goal. A simple back header almost caught the on rushing keeper and had it not for a slide and save it would have hurt them more. In the 77th minute Villa came in for Sanchez. In the 81st minute a brilliant back heel by Xavi put Alves through in the box, but instead of taking the shot he tried to cut the ball back. It was a rather strange decision. In the 84th minute Iniesta came in for Thiago. In the 89th minute it had to happen, we conceding the customary goal. A cross was palyed into the center, Pique was nowhere to seen, even though Valdes made the initial save from header, he could do nothing about the rebound. In the injury time Tello came in for Pedro and scored a very good goal to seal the game. It was a great goal.
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