FCBARCELONA.CAT

27.01.2008 14:11

Festival at the Palau (8-2)

Cristina Collado

Barça Senseit have thrashed Tuco Muebles (8-2) to win their first game of the year. Barça now go eighth in a game in which Chico marked his return with three goals.

After eight winless weeks, Barça Senseit got the season back on track on Sunday with an easy win over Tuco Muebles that leaves them with 25 points in the Division de Honor. The great news was that Chico was back in the side, and was able to celebrate with a hat trick. Santi Ezquerro was in the crowd after working out at the Camp Nou.

The game started well for Barça, with the first goal coming just two minutes into the match, Scored by Justo Cáceres off a Fernandao assist. Tuco Muebles replied through De Bail, with a shot that just missed the goal defended by keeper Paco Sedano. Five minutes into the game, and on came Chico.

Chico in action

The substitution changed the game. The Brazilian was keen to show Barça what they have been missing for the last four months and did not take long to show it. He scored with his first touch of the game in a move combined with Igor and just moments later the two Brazilians teamed up again to produce a delightful move that saw Chico supply an almost identical assist for Igor to score. Barça Senseit were already 3-0 up after just five minutes.

Closing the gap

Chico had turned his team around, but Fran Amorós did likewise for Tuco Muebles. The Murcian winger was their most dangerous player and shortly after one effort had rebounded off the bar, he scored two consecutive goals to bring his team back into the match. The first came on eleven minutes with a shot from the far post and he then scored an incredible angled goal from the by-line on fourteen minutes.

Two goals in 20 seconds

Barça Senseit stretched their lead again before the break in two successive moves. The first was a great team play finished off by Chico for his second of the day, and then with just two seconds left on the clock, Javi Rodríguez finished off an individual run with a pass to Fernandao, who scored off his chest.

Igor injured

The second half started with the unfortunate sight of Igor getting injured. The Brazilian pivot pulled a muscle in his left leg and will be under medical observation for the next 48 hours. With Igor out, as well as the already injured Pedrinho, Barça Senseit completed the game with only two natural pivots on the court, Fernandao and Rafa Muñoz.

More goals

But there were more goals to come, with the referee sending off Serpa, meaning Tuco Muebles were a man down for two minutes. In that time, Barça managed a sixth though Justo Cáceres. And the goals kept coming at the Palau Blaugrana. Chico completed his hat-trick with a shot from the right, and a minute later Javi Rodríguez was there to score on the rebound after an effort from Dani Fernández had hit the post.