Lionel Messi on song with two goals as Barcelona thrash Real Sociedad

Lionel Messi scored twice as Barcelona thrashed Real Sociedad 5-0 to stay top of La Liga after a ninth straight victory. David Villa, Andrés Iniesta, and Bojan Krkic also got on the scoresheet in a fluent exhibition of the quick-touch football that has guided the Catalans to their last two titles.

Messi threaded the ball to Pedro Rodríguez in the ninth minute and Villa was on his own inside the box to redirect a pass into the roof of the net for his ninth of the season. Iniesta charged into the area in the 33rd minute, laying off to Pedro who returned it for the Spain midfielder to beat Claudio Bravo with a low shot inside the near post.

The Sociedad players looked like any other Camp Nou spectators at times as Xavi Hernández, Messi and Iniesta, all shortlisted for the world player of the year award, orchestrated attack after attack, with Villa and Pedro denied by Bravo or scrambling defenders.

Messi started the third goal from just inside the Sociedad half in the 47th minute, the Argentina forward exchanging several passes with Daniel Alves before slotting home.

Messi, who hit the post in the 78th minute, equalled Cristiano Ronaldo's goal tally in the league in the 87th with a typically clever run past four defenders inside the area before finishing with a left-footed shot inside the far post. Messi and Ronaldo have 17 league goals.

Bojan scored the last Barcelona goal with an individual effort in injury time.Barcelona, who have outscored their opponents 26-0 in their last six games in all competitions, lead the table with 40 points from 15 games with Real Madrid two points behind.

Mesut Ozil, Ronaldo and Angel Di María scored for Real in a 3-1 defeat of the bottom club Real Zaragoza. The home team had chances early on at La Romareda stadium but Madrid took control with Ozil's 15th-minute goal. The Germany playmaker capped a quick breakout by tucking a shot under Leo Franco.

The Zaragoza goalkeeper was left flat-footed in the 44th when Ronaldo dipped a free-kick over the defensive wall and into the empty side of the goal.

Di María made it 3-0 three minutes after the break by shooting over Franco as the Zaragoza goalkeeper raced out to try to cut off the Argentina international after Xabi Alonso had put him clear.

Ricardo Carvalho was booked for halting Nicolás Bertolo's run inside the area and Gabriel Fernández stepped up to beat Iker Casillas, playing his 400th league game, from the penalty spot for Zaragoza's goal in the 54th minute.

European Golden Shoe Weekly Update: Barcelona star Lionel Messi joins Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo in first spot

Kenny Miller sits in third place

Real Madrid attacker Cristiano Ronaldo still sits first in the standings after scoring once in his side's 3-1 win over Real Zaragoza at the weekend. However, the Portuguese international is no longer the only player in the standings with 34 points.

Tricky attacker Lionel Messi has joined Ronaldo as the joint No.1 following his excellent performance on Sunday. The Barcelona star scored twice to help his side to a comfortable 5-0 win over Real Sociedad and has now scored 17 league goals, too.

Furthermore, Rangers striker Kenny Miller has climbed to joint third spot after scoring once in the Scottish champions' 1-1 draw against Inverness. The attacker could have added another, but failed to find the net from the penalty spot.

The biggest winner of the weekend was Freiburg attacker Papiss Demba Cisse. The Senegal star netted a brace to help Freiburg to a 3-0 home win over relegation candidates Borussia Moenchengladbach and has now netted 13 Bundesliga goals.

Barcelona vs Panathinaikos: Lionel Messi scored goal, 3 – 0

Barcelona ensure the Group D champion and qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League. Come to the cage Panathinaikos on Wednesday, Lionel Messi et al easily drank a 3-0 victory.

At the top of the league, Barcelona collect the value 11. His position has not overtaken anyone. Therefore, their closest rivals, Kopenhaggen, forced to give up 0-1 by Rubin Kazan and only 7 points but still in second. While the group stage, leaving only one game.

Barcelona had difficulty developing the game, because Panathinaikos is always pressing. Each player Barca had the ball, the player directly attached Panathinaikos.

However, Barca still had time to develop the game. Only, they have trouble unpacking Panathinaikos defense that appear discipline. Instead, camp host also several times threatened.

Entering the 15th minute, Panathinaikos began to overwhelm Barcelona wait on the game fast and creative. In fact, in the 27th minute Panathinaikos conceded. Pedro Rodriguez was terkawal in the penalty box and easily cut bait Daniel Alves into goals.

Panathinaikos tried to retaliate. However, their defense was often open and Barcelona game was growing. However, some businesses are still failing to fruition Barcelona, until the first half ended 1-0.

Entering the second half, Barcelona is still dominant. Lionel Messi continues to terrorize the Panathinaikos defense. Just the 63rd minute through Barcelona’s Messi added advantage. Utilizing assists Adriano, Messi to accurately release the ball with his left foot and scored.

Host more difficult and such out of ideas for the reply. While Barcelona continue to try to master the game.

In the 69th minute, Barcelona added advantage. Pedro scored again with the use of bait Andres Iniesta. Barcelona’s goal sealed victory 3-0.

Composition Players

Panathinaikos: 30-Alexandros Tzorvas; 5-Cedric Kante, 4-Jean-Alain Boumsong, 31-Nikos Spyropoulos, 24-Loukas Vyntra, 15-Gilberto Silva, 29-Kostas Katsouranis, 9-Djibril Cisse, 14-Luis Garcia, 20 Lazaros Christodoulopoulos-, 22-Stergos Marinos

Barcelona: 1-Victor Valdes; 5-Carles Puyol, 3-Gerard Pique, 21-Adriano, 2-Daniel Alves, 14-Javier Mascherano, 8-Andres Iniesta, 6-Xavi, 17-Pedro, 7-David Villa, 10 -Lionel Messi

Messi Hat Trick Lifts Barcelona

MADRID — Lionel Messi scored three goals to move past 100 for his Spanish league career and lead Barcelona to a record 8-0 rout at Almeria, and Cristiano Ronaldo also had a hat trick to increase his league-leading total to 14 goals as Real Madrid won 5-1 at home against Athletic Bilbao.

The top scorers will meet Nov. 29 when Barcelona plays host to the league-leading Real.

Messi scored in the 17th, 37th and 67th minutes in the match Saturday, giving him 13 league goals this season and raising his career total to 101 in 154 league games. The 23-year-old became only the fourth Barcelona player to pass the century mark.

Messi, the reigning FIFA player of the year, has scored in Barcelona’s last eight games.

Barcelona matched the Spanish league’s largest road victory margin, when it beat Las Palmas 8-0 in 1959. It was the 18th-place Almeria’s largest margin of defeat, topping a 6-0 loss at Barcelona, and coach Juan Manuel Lillo was fired after the game.

Ronaldo scored in the 30th minute, connected on a swerving free kick in the 62nd and converted a penalty kick in second-half injury time for Real Madrid. Gonzalo Higuaín and Sergio Ramos also scored for Real, which has 32 points, one more than Barcelona.

Messi’s magic continues giving benefits to Barcelona

Madrid, November 7, 2010.- Argentine striker Lionel Messi again is the key to victory for Barcelona, scoring a goal in the 3-1 against Getafe, in a victory that puts pressure on Real Madrid that will play against Atletico.

At 22 minutes into the first time, Lio took a great pass and laid with great skill to open the scoring. The second goal was written by Villa before everybody went to the locker room.

In the second half, Pedro concreted the Barcelona’s victory, after a ball recovered by Messi. Getafe get the discount with a goal from the hands of Manu. Piqué was expelled, but that incident did not disrupt the Catalan team. Javier Mascherano and Gabriel Milito played in the game.

Barcelona has 25 points and is a leader in Spain. But Real Madrid has to face Atletico so it isn’t everything said on this date. The meringues added 23 points, as Villarreal, which beat Athletic Bilbao 3-1.

Barcelona VS Copenhagen : Lionel Messi scored a goal, 1 – 0

Striker Lionel Messi scored a goal that brought Barcelona winning 1-0 over Copenhagen in the 31st minute the match phase of the Champions League Group D on Tuesday (02/11/2010). However, Copenhagen is able to close the first half with the score 1-1, thanks to Domingues De Souza scored at minute 33.

Playing as a guest team, Barcelona is able to master the game and consistent attack. However, their efforts often fail to produce a goal.

Games aggressive opponent makes their attacks foundered in the middle of the road. It’s still bad luck and performance plus goalkeeper Copenhagen, Johan Wilard in reading directions and frustrate opponents shots.

In minute 15 and 21, for example, David Villa fired a shot from inside the penalty box. However, while his first effort blocked, shot both countered Wilard.

The impasse was finally broken when Lionel Messi successfully fired a wild ball in the penalty box, enter the bottom right corner of the goal Wilard.

However, the advantage did not last long. A quick attack that launched the Copenhagen after that directly led to the position of the equalizing goal Domingues De Souza Claudemir.

After that, Barcelona is still mastering the game, but it increasingly difficult to carry out attacks until complete with the execution, since the hosts to increase alertness.

Indeed, a number of opportunities can still be printed Massey et al. However, until the halftime whistle sounded, the scoreboard continued to show the numbers 1-1.

During the first half, Barcelona had the ball as much as 64 percent and created five golden opportunity of eleven experiments. While accurate Copenhagen fired two shots out of five businesses.

The composition of players:
Copenhagen: 21-Johan Wiland, 17-Oscar Wendt, 15-Mikael Antonsson, 25-Zanka Mathias Jorgensen, 2-Zdenek Pospech, 20-Martin Vingaard, 6-Domingues De Souza Claudemir, 8-William Kvist, 30-Cristian Bolanos; 10-Jesper Gronkjaer; 14-N’Doye Dame

Barcelona: 1-Victor Valdés, 22-Eric Abidal, 5-Carles Puyol, 3-Gerard Pique, 2-Daniel Alves, 15-Seydou Keita, 16-Sergio Busquets, 6-Xavi; 7-David Villa, 8-Andrés Iniesta , 10-Lionel Messi

Barcelona's Lionel Messi: Sevilla win proves that we are still a great team

Barcelona striker Lionel Messi has said his team’s 5-0 victory over Sevilla proves that the club remain the benchmark in the Primera Division.

The Blaugrana were utterly dominant in demolishing los Nervionenses, with the Argentine landing his third consecutive brace, having netting twice against Zaragoza and Copenhagen.

Messi feels that the nature of the victory is testament to the high standard of the team, and he stated to journalists afterwards: “From the beginning of the game, we played with great intensity.

“We were doing things right, winning is what matters, and we have again shown that we are still a great team."

The diminutive hitman also passed comment on recent remarks made in reference to the team, particularly from Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho, adding: “We know we must be strong and ignore what people say about us.

“We should not think about it casually, he [Mourinho] is always looking to get involved in our game but we have to remain indifferent.”

Barcelona’s win moves them back to within a point of league leaders Madrid, with their El Clasico meeting just under four weeks away.

Lionel Messi 2008/09 FC Barcelona Team Framed 8x10 Photograph UEFA Champions

Lionel Messi is considered to be one of the best football players of his generation having received several Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21. His playing style and ability have drawn comparisons to football legend Diego Maradona, who himself declared Messi his successor. He helped Barcelona win La Liga in Messi's debut season, and won a double of the league and UEFA Champions League in 2006. His breakthrough season was in 2006 07: he became a first team regular, scoring a hat-trick in El Cl sico and finishing with 14 goals in 26 league games. Perhaps his most successful season was the 2008 09 season, in which Messi scored 38 goals to play an integral part in a treble winning campaign. There is no better way to commemorate your favorite player or team than this quality collectible. This collectible features: Premium Photograph(s), Double Acid Free Mats, High Quality Black Wood Moulding, High Strength Premium Clear Glass, Finished Size: 12 1/4 inches by 15 1/2 inches, Individually Inspected, Bubble Wrapped for Protection, Assembled in the USA, Watermark (if shown) is not on the Finished Product.

Messi: The Inside Story of the Boy Who Became a Legend

Lionel Messi is routinely acknowledged by players and fans to be the greatest soccer player in the world. Written by renowned sports journalist and bestselling author Luca Caioli, Messi draws on the exceptional testimonies of Messi's parents, Celia and Jorge, his bother Rodrigo and his uncles and aunts; his coaches as both a boy and international star in Argentina; Frank Rjikaard and Gianluca Zambrotta from Barcelona ... and Leo Messi himself.