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25.10.2008 23:59
Eto'o scores fastest hat-trick
Jordi Clos
Samuel Eto'o has scored the fastest ever League hat-trick by a Barça player. It took him just the first 23 minutes of tonight’s game, and it is the third time he’s found the net three times in a match for Barça.
Scoring three goals in the first 23 minutes of a League encounter is not that common, and until this Saturday no Barça player had done it. Then along came Samuel Eto'o against Almeria. The Cameroon striker got his first in the 5th minute after a weak defensive header, his second in the 20th minute after a great move between Iniesta and Xavi, and his third in the 23rd minute with a neat back heel.
The three strikes make him the top goalscorer for the competition on nine, one more than Valencia’s David Villa.
Third time
It is Eto’o’s third hat-trick in a competitive match for Barça since he signed for the club in the 2004/05 season. His first came on 2 November 2005 in the Champions League against Panathinaikos (5-0), while the second was in last season’s League encounter on 24 February against Levante (5-1).
Leaders again after almost a year and a half
Barça’s excellent football and thrashing of
Almeria have made them provisional League leaders. After six straight wins they now sit on top of
the table with 19 points, the same number as Valencia, two more than Seville and Villarreal and
three more than Madrid.
51 League games ago
The last time Barcelona topped the table was on matchday 33 in the 2006/07 season after beating Real Sociedad away by 0-2. It happened on 5 May 2007 and since then almost a year and a half and 51 League games have gone by.
Alves scores his first
Dani Alves was another player to enjoy a very special evening. The Brazilian scored his first goal
for Barça in the 36th minute with a rasping low drive from a free kick. As usual Alves was a
constant attacking threat on the right flank while he was on the pitch. He was replaced by Víctor
Sánchez in the 72nd minute.
