A magnificent first half display of attacking football, led by an unstoppable Leo Messi, gave Barça their third home win in a week against Zaragoza. The game began at an electric pace with three goals and a post inside the first eleven minutes. Barça began with the same eleven that started against Sevilla, but Zaragoza unlike Sevilla did not come just to defend. After only three minutes Messi gave the first warning of what was to come, making a good run before shooting wide. Two minutes later Messi accelerated past two defenders, played a one-two with Henry, and curled a superb shot that gave Cesar in the Zaragoza goal no chance.

To their credit Zaragoza responded quickly. First Diego Milito beat the offside trap then cut inside Marquez and shot against the base of Valdés’ near post. A minute later a swift counter attack ended with Aimar squaring to Zapater who beat Valdés with a crisp strike from 20 yards to make it 1-1. 

On eleven minutes Barça regained the lead after Marquez and then Deco forced the ball through and Messi pounced once again, clipping the ball over the advancing Cesar. Two minutes later Henry combined with Iniesta but Cesar saved well.

Barça’s third came after just 22 minutes. Deco, who was making his 100th league appearance for Barça,  played the ball into Messi from the right and Messi played a sublime return to put Deco through against the keeper, but instead of shooting Deco rolled the ball across the goal to the unmarked Iniesta who had the simplest task of putting the ball home. 

Henry had another chance two minutes later when a great pass from Xavi put him through, but instead of shooting first time he cut inside a defender and gave Cesar the chance to come out and smother the shot. Barça’s dominance was shown by winning nine corners in the first half hour.

Barça were perhaps guilty of trying to score the perfect goal after this. Messi should have shot but instead tried to set up Henry who was marginally offside. Messi was then incorrectly called offside but his shot went over all the same. Just before half time Iniesta won a free kick. Deco’s shot was pushed onto the post by the diving Cesar and Marquez headed the rebound into the open goal to make it 4-1 at half time.

The second half could never be as intense as the first, but Barça continued to contol things. After 60 minutes Henry played in Iniesta, and a defender in an attempt to clear hit the ball against Iniesta and Cesar was forced into a good save as the ball flew up off Iniesta’s knee. Iniesta then had a great shot from 25 yards bounce out off the post. Messi then just missed out on his hat-trick after a one-two with Deco but his lob over Cesar just went over the bar. 

Zaragoza did force a couple of second half saves from Valdés, and at the other end it was a case of whether Henry could get on the scoresheet. It was an improved performace from the Frenchman but his efforts proved fruitless in the end.

This was a grand performance from Barça, Messi mesmerized the Zaragoza defence, and Andres Iniesta also put in another excellent performance. Henry is looking better with each game but is not having any luck in front of goal, and Deco is also beginning to show signs of the form he showed in his first two seasons. The defence continues to look very solid with good performances from Marquez, Milito and Abidal. With Puyol on the point of returning it will be difficult for Rijkaard to chose his best central defensive partnership. The only negative point from the game was the injury to Zambrotta which forced him to be substituted after 20 minutes, he could be out now for at least a month. If Barça can play like this without Eto’o and Ronaldinho, who knows what heights they can reach when everyone is fit.

FC Barcelona: Víctor Valdés 6.5, Zambrotta 6 (Oleguer, m20, 6.5), Márquez 7, Milito 7, Abidal 7.5, Xavi 6.5, Touré Yaya 6.5, Deco 7.5 (Giovani, m73, 6.5), Messi 9.5 (Bojan, m82, 6), Henry 6.5, Iniesta 8.

Zaragoza: César, Diogo, Sergio, Pavón, Juanfran, Luccin (Gabi, m46), Matuzalem (Herrero, m54), Zapater, Aimar, Oliveira, Diego Milito (Sergio García, m59).

Yellow cards. Touré Yaya, Márquez, Diogo, Herrero, Gabi.

Goals: 1-0, Messi (m5). 1-1, Zapater (m10). 2-1, Messi (m11). 3-1, Iniesta (m22). 4-1, Márquez (m45).

Attendance 70,676

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