Barcelona underlined their Spanish title credentials on Saturday with a 6-1 thrashing of Atletico Madrid who never recovered from conceding three goals in a breathtaking first 10 minutes.
If the game was billed as Lionel Messi against Sergio Aguero then there was only one winner, but it wasn’t just Messi who split Atletico open at the Nou Camp.
Rafa Marquez sent Barca on their way with a flicked header from a corner after three minutes and then Samuel Eto’o scored the first of his brace. Quick thinking at a free-kick allowed Messi to place the ball into an empty net as goalkeeper Gregory Coupet was still constructing the wall as the avalanche continued. Maxi Rodriguez offered some relief after 13 minutes with a well taken shot for Atletico, but Barca then scored two more before halftime from Eto’o and Eidur Gudjohnsen.
PHOTO: AFP
In the second half, with the game won, Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola made several substitutions and Thierry Henry came off the bench to score perhaps the best strike of the game with a well-worked goal.
“I think that was the best match since I came here,” said Guardiola, whose side are now second in the table.
But the Barcelona coach also had to play down rumors of a rift with Eto’o, who was unhappy at being substituted in the second half.
“There is no problem with Eto’o, he’s not angry. He didn’t like being taken off, I know, but that is my decision,” Guardiola said.
Downcast Atletico coach Javier Aguirre was quick to accept the blame for his team’s performance.
“I’m the only one responsible, it was a sorry game, there is no explanation for conceding three goals like that in eight minutes and it meant that the game was over. They were better than us in everything,” he said.
Two goals in two minutes saw Villarreal come from behind against struggling Real Betis for a win that saw them overtake Valencia at the top of the table. Villarreal had been unbeaten at home for 10 months, but with Betis the last team to win at El Madrigal, Paco Chaparro’s side were confident of springing a surprise.
Betis, who have failed to win this season, went ahead after 20 minutes through former Barcelona defender Damia Abella. But they struggled to maintain their rhythm and Gonzalo Prado equalized for the home side with a flicked header from a free-kick after 69 minutes. Substitute Robert Pires then miscued a shot from the left of the area, but it fortuitously found Joseba Llorente who was left with the simple task of scoring from close range.
Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini felt tiredness from their Champions League campaign was the reason why his players were not at their best.
“I think that one of the keys to the game was the extra break that Betis had, as they did not play during the week. Luckily though we had enough in reserve,” he said.
“They should have killed the match off in the first half. Villarreal had two or three shots and scored twice,” a dejected Chaparro said.
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