Sports

FC Barcelona put in a superb performance to play the previously unbeaten Real Madrid off the pitch and run out 5-0 winners at the Nou Camp tonight with goals from Xavi, Pedro, Villa (2) and Jeffren. This was an exemplary 90 minutes in all aspects from Guardiola’s men.

FC Barcelona face one of their toughest tests of the season as the long-awaited encounter with Real Madrid takes place on Monday evening (22:00h) and victory would see the Catalan side leapfrog their opponents at the top of the Primera table.

FC Barcelona ensured that they progressed to the next round of the Champions League as group winners after a convincing victory against Panathinaikos on Wednesday thanks to two goals from Pedro and another from Lionel Messi.

Josep Guardiola has said that the team is entirely focused on the Champions League game with Panathinaikos, and has promised that he won’t be conditioning his selection by the forthcoming Madrid match.

Leo Messi just keeps on smashing records and there seems to be no limit to what he can achieve. His brilliant performance in Almeria was rounded off with another hat trick –his seventh for the team – as well as two assists.

Barça have subjected Almeria to a rout in a show of attacking brilliance, going 5-0 ahead in just 36 minutes thanks to goals from (2), Iniesta, Acasiete (own goal) and Pedro. Bojan (2) and Messi added three more on a historic night.

Josep Guardiola is only thinking about FC Barcelona's game against Almería on Saturday instead of paying any attention to the encounter with Real Madrid the following week.

PSV Eindhoven and FC Barcelona have reached agreement on a deal to bring Ibrahim Afellay to Barça, with only the personal terms between the player and the Catalan club to be settled over the next few weeks.

Carles Puyol played his 500th game for the club on Saturday against Villarreal and showed that at 32 he is still well on top of his game. Speaking to Barça TV he joked after the game: “I’m still only half way through my career”.

The Camp Nou is the venue tonight (at 22.00) for a gripping encounter between Barça and Vila-real, second and third in the table respectively. Without Piqué or Milito, the big mystery is who will partner Puyol in the centre of defence.

Because of the way FC Barcelona and Vila-real are playing, Josep Guardiola expects a good game on Saturday night. He has been impressed with what he’s seen of Garrido’s third place outfit.

FC Barcelona eased into the next round of the Copa del Rey with a 5-1 triumph over Ceuta in their second leg encounter on Wednesday evening thanks to goals from Nolito, Gaby Milito, Pedro, Bojan Krkic and Lionel Messi.

FC Barcelona tonight welcome Ceuta (at 22.00) where they will need to make the most of the 2-0 win in the away leg and qualify for the next round of the cup. The squad contains 12 first team players and five from the B.

Pep Guardiola is not treating Ceuta as a done deal despite winning the away leg, but instead intends to give the match all the attention it deserves.

Barcelona (FCB).- The CIHEFE has looked back over the first decade of the century and totting up its points has given Barça 1,630 against second placed Real Madrid with 1,482.