FCBARCELONA.CAT

14.03.2009 18:29

Last trip to Andalusia

Berta Brau

This Sunday marks Barça’s final trip of the season to Andalusia. There are five clubs from the region in the top flight, and Almería is the only one they have yet to visit.

The trip to Almería will be the fifth and final time Barça have been to Andalusia for a league fixture this season. They have already travelled south to face Malaga, Recreativo, Sevilla and Betis, and picked up points every time.

Three wins and a draw

They have collected 10 of the 12 points available from these encounters. Malaga, Recreativo and Sevilla were all beaten, while Betis was the only Andalusian side to prevent Barça from returning to Catalonia with three points following a 2-2 draw.

First half wins

The first three games were all in the first half of the season. Malaga came first, with Barça winning reasonably comfortably (1-4) thanks to a brace from Xavi and one each from Messi and Alves. Then came Huelva in the 11th game of the season, and another win (0-2) with goals from Keita and Messi. Sevilla was the next destination, four games later. With a string of matches against direct title rivals ahead of them, Barça came away in healthy fashion from the Sánchez Pizjuán, with a win thanks to one goal from Eto’o and a pair from Messi (0-3).

Draw at Betis

On February 14, Barça went back to the city of Seville, but this time to face Paco Chaparro’s Betis. But this would be the toughest trip south of the season for Barcelona, for Betis took an impressive two-goal lead. Barça managed to climb their way back into the game though, and the Ruiz de Lopera watched as two strikes from Samuel Eto'o meant they at least managed to come away with a point.