Messi sparks five-star Barcelona to victory
- Source: Global Times
- [01:31 September 21 2009]
- Comments
Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates after scoring during Barcelona's Spanish La Liga match against Atletico Madrid yesterday Photo: AFP
Champions Barcelona turned on the style to hammer Atletico Madrid 5-2 and consolidate their position at the top of La Liga on Sunday.
The visitors, who have yet to win a game in the new season, came out with an ambitious attacking lineup.
They were quickly on the back foot as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Lionel Messi, Daniel Alves and Seydou Keita put Barca 4-1 up halftime.
Atletico's Sergio Aguero pulled one back just before the break and Diego Forlan bagged another goal near the end, before Messi cracked home his second of the night.
Barca maintained their 100 percent record to stay top with nine points ahead of Real Mallorca on seven, after the islanders cruised to a 4-0 victory over Tenerife in an earlier game.
Sevilla won 2-0 at Osasuna while Espanyol dragged themselves off the foot of the table with 3-2 win at Deportivo.
Racing Santander earned their first win of the season by overcoming Malaga 2-1 away.
Barca signaled their intent early on at the Nou Camp when Thierry Henry rattled Atletico's crossbar after only a minute.
It only took them another minute to open the scoring, when Ibrahimovic burst through on to a Sergio Busquets pass to flick the ball past Atletico's second-choice goalkeeper Roberto.
Messi made it 2-0 after 16 minutes running on to Xavi's pass over the top, and Alves drilled an impressive free kick past Roberto from all of 30 meters out on the half hour.
With halftime approaching, Ibrahimovic conjured a pass to Messi who juggled the ball, cut past his marker and crossed for Keita to sidefoot home the fourth.
Atletico kept battling away and Aguero managed to pull one back on a breakaway, lifting the ball over Victor Valdes.
The visitors continued to press and Forlan lashed in a second, before Messi slotted home another scything passing move at the end.
Agencies
Quick results
Arsenal 4-0 Wigan Athletic
Man United 4-3 Man City
West Ham 2-3 Liverpool
Deportivo 2-3 Espanyol
Osasuna 0-2 Sevilla
Barcelona 5-2 Atletico Madrid
Juventus 2-0 Livorno
FC Bayern 2-1 Nurnberg
Boulogne 0-2 Bordeaux
Marseille 4-2 Montpellier
