Convincing leaders (3-1)

Convincing leaders (3-1)
An inspired and hard-working Barça side have convincingly beaten Sporting Gijon and remain well in command at the top of the table. Their tenth win in a row came through goals by Eto’o (2) and Alves.
Barça have reinforced their position as League leaders with another win, this time by 3 goals to 1 and with much of the brilliance their fans have come to expect. They were much superior to a game Sporting Gijon and effectively wrapped up the match with an excellent first half which saw Samuel Eto’o find the net twice. Pep Guardiola’s men then kept up the pressure in the second half and extended their lead with an Alves strike. Sporting Gijon scored a consolation goal later on but at no stage did they look like halting Barça’s impressive winning streak.

Best available side

Sporting came to Camp Nou with the reputation of being an attacking team which plays good football and Barça put out their best available side to greet them. Busquets, Iniesta, Xavi, Henry, Eto’o, Messi and co. whipped the ball around at high speed right from the whistle and a good move in the 11th minute between Iniesta, Alves and Henry was only just kept out by the visiting keeper.

Eto’o = goals

Barça would get their reward shortly afterwards. In the 23rd minute Iniesta began a counterattack which he started on the edge of his own box before laying it wide to Henry on the left on the edge of the Sporting box. The Frenchman’s first touch pass found Eto’o between two defenders and the Cameroon striker duly put it away for the 100th goal in competitive games this season. Guardiola’s men dominated the game both before and after taking the lead with superb positional play and were a constant threat to Sporting’s goal. So it came as no real surprise when they scored again in the 40th minute as Messi slipped the ball to Eto’o inside the box who cut back inside before firing home Barça’s second.

Adulation for Alves

Barça stayed focussed with their 2-0 lead and they wanted more. Eto’o tried to curve the ball in for his hat-trick in the 60th minute and only Lafuente prevented what would have been another magnificent goal by Messi a minute later. Finally Alves smashed home a drive from eight yards out in the 65th minute to bring the crowd to its feet, chanting his name.

Ten wins

Sporting didn’t throw in the towel and got one back with a well-placed shot by Kike Mateo. Barça immediately bounced back as Eto’o hit the post and the Catalans reasserted their control over the game. They have now extended their winning streak to ten in a row in the League.