Barcelona 3-0 Valencia

Barcelona bounced back in style after the 2-2 draw at Almeria last weekend saw them surrender the lead in La Liga. And after a difficult first half where they struggled to contain a rampant Valencia, Lionel Messi struck a stunning hat-trick to send the Blaugrana back on the winning trail.

The match started with the usual high intensity tempo that has typified encounters between these two sides in the past with the action swinging from end to end. Valencia created the first opening of the contest four minutes in when Miguel whipped in a cross from the right for Jordi Alba, who outjumped Dani Alves but thumped his header just over the bar.

Barca were unable to impose their usual dominance in midfield, and Los Che continued to look the more threatening side, especially on the counter attack. Pablo Hernandez had a chance on 18 minutes when he cut inside Maxwell, but a curling shot with his weaker left foot was easily saved by Victor Valdes. Moments later, the winger had an identical opportunity but again, his low drive sailed straight to Valdes.

The Blaugrana didn’t test Cesar Sanchez in the Valencia goal until the 22nd minute when Gaby Milito’s header from a Xavi corner bobbled off Miguel, but the veteran shot-stopper comfortably dived low to his left to gather the ball.

Cesar had to be very alert again on the half hour mark when he had to dash off his line cautiously to tip the ball away from Lionel Messi’s feet after Bojan’s through ball took a wicked deflection into the box.

Barcelona continued to look uncomfortable at the back and they were exposed again when David Silva lofted a high ball to Chori Dominguez at the byline, but the Argentine’s clever cutback to Hedwiges Maduro was slapped away by Valdes.

Minutes later, Alba was released down the left but despite having a clean view of goal, he could only shoot straight at the Barca custodian.

Straight to the other end, it was Messi who broke through on goal after robbing the ball off Angel Dealbert, but his sidefooted effort was tipped into the side netting by an on-rushing Cesar, although the referee only pointed to a goal kick. The two squared off again shortly, as Messi tried to squeeze the ball past the Valencia No. 1 at the byline but from a near impossible angle, ‘Little Lionel’s’ effort was blocked off.

Five minutes before the break, Messi had the Camp Nou crowd on their feet when he had to confront a line of five defenders infront of him as he made a dash towards goal. He skipped past two before spraying the ball wide to Pedro, who could only scuff his shot wide.

The frantic tempo of the game picked up again at the end of the first period but neither side could find the breakthrough before heading back to the dressing room.

With coach Pep Guardiola watching from the stands as he serves out his one-game touchline ban, Barca sent in Thierry Henry for Bojan for the restart. And the Catalans made sure that they were the ones who made the more threatening start to the second period.

The Blaugrana pressed forward in numbers immediately and Xavi had the first chance of the half when he was picked out by Dani Alves, but the unmarked playmaker mistimed his header and smashed his attempt high and wide.

The best scoring chance came on 52 minutes when Henry burst down the right and pulled a low cross back to Messi, whose first time shot was miraculously kept out by Cesar’s outstretched toes. But the incessant pressure paid off on 55 minutes as Barcelona deservedly went ahead. Messi picked up a pass from Xavi and breezed past three defenders before slotting home a clinical finish past Cesar at the near post.

Barca thought they had doubled their advantage on 66 minutes when Xavi’s blistering shot was parried out by Cesar and Maxwell easily tapped the rebound into the empty net, but the flag had already gone up for offside.

Los Che should have equalised on 68 minutes when Pablo released Nikola Zigic clean through on goal with no Barca defenders in sight, but the giant striker’s tame shot outside the box was blocked by Valdes. And Valencia were quickly punished for that gilt-edged miss when Maduro was sent off for a late tackle on Messi.

With ten minutes on the clock, Messi made it 2-0 to Barcelona with another superlative strike. Henry’s long ball from the left flank was brought down expertly by the Argentine, who charged into the box, checked past Dealbert and rifled the ball into the bottom corner.

And before Valencia could catch their breath, Messi completed his hat-trick. The visitors lost the ball in their own half and allowed Henry to slip Lionel towards goal. ‘El Mesias’ again outfoxed Dealbert before clipping a cheeky shot past a stranded Cesar with the inside of his right foot.

Los Che were shell shocked and they quietly faded away into the Camp Nou night as Messi left the pitch to a standing ovation while increasing his tally to 22 goals in the Pichichi race.