All Bar�a�s football

Match

Marcador del partit

Date: Sunday, 20 May
Competition: ???label.competicio0???
Stadium: Vicente Calder�n, Madrid

Resultat:

At.Madrid: 0
FC Barcelona: 6

Match report

Match Report
Pre-Match

Match Report

Goals

0-1 Messi (min.38)
0-2 Zambrotta (min. 40)
0-3 Eto'o (min.45)
0-4 Ronaldinho (min.57)
0-5 Messi (min.80)
0-6 Iniesta (min.90)

The response of Champions (0-6)

Jordi Clos

Bar�a thrashed Atletico 0-6 in a terrific display of attacking football on Sunday night in Madrid. Messi (twice), Zambrotta, Eto�o, Ronaldinho and Iniesta were all on target in a historic triumph.

On the night nothing was able to stop Bar�a. The poor record in recent years at the Calderon and the hot scoring streak of Fernando Torres against Bar�a were all forgotten as Bar�a impressively secured the three points. Rikjaard’s team knew before kick-off that the needed to win to keep up the pressure at the top of the table following the respective victories of Real Madrid and Sevilla earlier in the day.

Bar�a took the initiative early on in a game that was played on a heavy pitch due to the rain that fell in Madrid on Sunday. Atletico were well disciplined in defence and were happy to hit Bar�a on the counter attack. Galletti had the first chance for the home side after 26 minutes but his shot went narrowly wide.

Bar�a avalanche 0-3

The game changed radically shortly before the break. Firstly, Ronaldinho struck a post with a free-kick from the edge of the box in the 33rd minute, then Messi almost found the net from the rebound only for Pichu to block his goalbound effort. However Bar�a did not have to wait much longer for the breakthrough. It came in the 38th minute when Messi exchanged passes with Eto’o before firing into the bottom corner of the net. Before Athletico had a chance to recover Bar�a added a second. Goalkeeper Pichu was caught in no man’s land when Zambrotta lifted the ball over his head into the empty net. The game was effectively killed off on the stroke of half-time when Bar�a added a third through Eto’o following a sensational move involving Ronaldinho and Deco - although the hapless Athletico keeper was at fault once more.

Work of art and applause in the Calder�n

The second half began in the same vein. Messi had a chance to add a fourth shortly after the restart but the increasingly nervous Athletico goalkeeper was able to make the save. In the 57th minute Ronaldinho added his name to the score sheet with a sensational goal following a move involving Xavi, Deco and Samuel Eto’o. The goal sparked applause among the home supporters in the Vicente Calderon

Atletico well beaten

After Ronaldinho’s superb strike Bar�a began to relax and to enjoy the game. In the 71st minute the home side were reduced to ten following the expulsion of Eller. Messi struck again in the 80th minute to add a fifth with another impressive and cool headed finish past Pichu. Despite the comfortable scoreline Rikjaard’s men keep the pressure on up until full-time as Iniesta rounded off a fantastic night for the champions with a sixth shortly before the final whistle.

The 0-6 final score was a demonstration that this Bar�a team is determined to fight to the finish to secure a third consecutive league championship. The result leaves Bar�a in second place on the same points as Real Madrid and allows Rikjaard’s team to go into the final few games of the season full of confidence.

Preview

Deco and Puyol are fine

Deco and Puyol have travelled to Madrid despite minor injury concerns. The Portuguese international is fully recovered from the problems he has been having with his left ankle, while the Bar�a captain will also be available for selection despite hurting the fifth metatarsal of his left foot in training on Thursday.

The first final

David Puig

FC Barcelona need to go out and beat Atl�tico Madrid if they are to keep their league title campaign on track. That will mean ending a winless run at the Vicente Calder�n that goes back to the 99-00 season.

The unexpected setback last weekend against Betis has not affected the confident mood among Frank Rijkaard’s squad. There are four games still to play, starting on Sunday with Atl�tico Madrid, and Bar�a simply cannot afford to make any more mistakes if they are to secure a third consecutive Spanish league title.

Motta and Giuyl are back: Thiago Motta and Ludovic Giuly are back in the team after missing the game against Betis. Motta has fully recovered from an abscess in his right leg, while the Frenchman returns after being dropped last Sunday. This week the unfortunate players that have not entered the Dutch manager’s plans are Saviola, Ezquerro and Sylvinho, while M�rquez, who still has not quite returned to full fitness, also sits out the trip to Madrid.

A difficult road trip: Bar�a’s games with Atl�tico Madrid have not exactly gone to plan of late, and Frank Rijkaard has yet to experience a win at the Vicente Calder�n, a venue where Barcelona have failed to win since back in the 99-00 season, when they romped home to an emphatic 3-0 victory. But although history may not be on Bar�a’s side, there is no doubt that there could be no better time than the present for that record to be set straight.

Looking at Europe: Javier Aguirre’s side also has an awful lot to play for. They are currently sixth in the league with 54 points and well on course for a UEFA Cup berth. However, a poor result against Bar�a on Sunday would open the door for either Recreativo or Villarreal to put major pressure on the red and whites. But in front of their notoriously passionate fans, Atl�tico have only lost three times this season, and they know that eight years has been far too long for a team like theirs to have been missing out on European football.

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