FC Barcelona continued adding points this Saturday to maintain its favorable position in Spanish League standings. The team beat the former fourth place, Atletico de Madrid, with a crushing score of 5-2. The victory is Barça’s third this season; the team already has 9 points and is behind only Real Madrid. (Madrid has a one-goal difference in the standings after the Meringues won 5-0 against Xerez on Sunday.)

The defeat is Atletico’s second, and the team has dropped to second-to-last in the standings with only one point.

One of the game’s key players was the Argentine Lionel Messi, who has proven to critics of his national team performance that – in Spain, anyway – he can play great football.
 
Barça entered the match determined to defend their home field and maintain their position in the standings; Atletico, on the other hand, were desperate for improvement. Nevertheless, Barcelona entered aggressively, and after only two minutes of play Zlatan Ibrahimovic opened the score.

Then, only fourteen minutes later, Messi ran after Xavi’s pass over the top to score the Cule’s second goal.

Barça kept on the offense, controlling the action while Atletico spent its energy trying to defend. Then, an Atletico defender committed a foul some 30 meters away from Barça goalkeeper Roberto Jimenez’s net, and a referee called for a free kick. Daniel Alves shot the ball, scoring the third goal for Barcelona.

With halftime approaching, Ibrahimovic kicked a pass to Messi, who then managed to take the ball past his defender and cross towards Seydou Keita. Keita shot the Cule’s fourth goal, all before the game was halfway through.

Atletico finally opened their score in minute 45, with Sergio Aguero scoring following a Busquets error. Nevertheless, the game remained fully in Barcelona’s control.

Barcelona rightfully entered the second half more relaxed, but still determined to maintain a lead. Atletico kept battling, and with Barça’s foot off the pedal, Atletico scored a second point when Diego Forlan shot the ball into the net.

But Messi was determined to have the last play, and the Argentine scored a second goal to bring the score to 5-2.

At the end of the game, striker Ibrahimovic said he was pleased with his team’s performance and expressed his hope that his teammates would keep their intensity and focus.

"I'm very happy with the result. We could make our game in the first half showed that we played very, very well. In the second half we relaxed, but it was evident, according to the result,” Ibrahimovic said.

Atletico coach Abel Resino said that, despite the loss, his team needed to keep its focus and find its way to success. Resino acknowledged that, especially against a strong team like Barcelona, Atletico needed a better performance; in particular, his players needed more energy and intensity.

"Now we have to grin and bear it and forget about this match. We have another game on Wednesday. There's no time to get depressed….I'll take the consolation that we attacked more in the second half. We lacked intensity, which you need to have against opponents such as Barcelona, who scored four goals with their first five shots against us. Tomorrow we need to lift our heads again.”
 
About the Author

 Ally White is a top senior copy writer on Spanish League Soccer and sports action for the online sportsbetting: http://www.instantactionsports.com.  Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety on your site, make sure to leave all links in place and do not modify any of the content.