Holiday break is over in Spain, and on Wednesday Barcelona picked up where they left off in Japan with a 4 - nil victory over the surprisingly successful Osasuna squad in Copa Del Rey action, who are currently sitting 5th in La Liga, after finishing the year mid table last season.
Pep started the match with a mixture of regulars and bench player, giving Pinto the start in goal as is custom in the Copa matches. There were rumors that Leo Messi was suffering from the flu so he began the game on the bench, but would make an appearance later in the match. With David Villa and Iniesta still recoving from injuries, Pedro was paired up top with Issac Cuenca, rumored to be a Manchester United target, and Fabregas.
The first ten minutes of the game seems now to be the new method of attacking Barcelona. Press high, squeeze the ball, force a turnover, and try and get ahead early. The entire plan is based upon disrupting the rhythm of Barcelona, but the pressure simply can't be sustained for long periods of time, eventually teams need to fall back and are forced to defend. Such was the case with this game.
The 15 minute mark opened the scoring with a Fabregas goal and a Xavi assist, By the 18th minute Cesc had a second goal and a yellow card to his credit. A busy few minutes for the Spaniard. Xavi also provided the assist on Cesc's second goal, a particularly gorgeous chipped effort. With the waves of pressure coming from Barca, it looked like this game was destined to look like the first league match up of the two teams this season, where Barcelona scored a season high 8 goals and blanked Osasuna. Osasuna's defending and goalkeeping were significantly improved this time around, and the teams went into the break 2-0.
The first 15 minutes of the second half saw continued Barcelona pressure, but no additional goals. With a return leg at Osasuna in the difficult confines of the Reyno de Navarre, Pep introduced a not-so-fluish Leo Messi at the hour mark. Less than 15 minutes later Messi found himself on the score sheet as he headed a Xavi cross home, reminding us all that he can score with literally every part of his body. In injury time, Messi wrapped up the game, and the tie with a 2nd goal, and Barcelona will travel next week to Osasuna watching closely the results of the second leg of the Real Madrid - Malaga tie to determine their opponents in the next round.
Coming out of the holiday Barcelona will have to hit the ground running as tomorrow they face their city rivals Espanyol, and then depending out the outcome of the Madrid - Malaga tie, we will have our first two Classico's in 2012 as Barcelona would ace Real Madrid in the round of 8. Unlike Barcelona's emphatic drubbing of Osasuna, Madrid struggled against Malaga, down 2-0 at the half to storm back and win the first leg 3-2 at the Bernabeu, which means perhaps a more difficult task than they would like to admit awaits them at La Rosaleda against Manuel Pelligrini and a talented Malaga side, who have been disappointing in league play thus far.
The coming week will be an exciting one for Barcelona, with a intense derby on Saturday and then the possibility of a two-leg tie with Madrid looming in the coming weeks.
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