Barcelona put together a clever free-kick to take the lead at Recre, Xavi slipped in Lionel Messi on the blindside of the wall and the Argentine smashed in a beauty in the 51st minute. Seydou Keita added a second five minutes from time.

Barca stumbled through to the quarter-finals after an uninspiring victory was secured by an 86th minute penalty from Lionel Messi.

Samuel Eto’o helped Barcelona stay top of the La Liga by scoring four first-half goals as the leaders crushed Valladolid 6-0 at the Nou Camp. Barca’s eighth straight league win gives them 25 points from 10 games, two ahead of champions Real Madrid in second. Third-placed Villarreal, with 21 points, are at home to Almeria on Sunday when the rest of the Primera Liga fixtures are played.

Barca had to wait a surprising hour before breaking the deadlock with pointless Basel, Lionel Messi played a fabulous one-two with Thierry Henry before slotting the ball into the bottom corner. But the Swiss minnows picked up an amazing, unlikely draw when Derdiyok volleyed home a cross to level.

Xavi put Barca ahead with a terrific free-kick only for Duda to equalise. Lionel Messi then fired home and then second half goals from Xavi (another fine finish) and an og from Welligton, deflecting in an Alves free-kick, secured the win for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Barca produced another awesome first-half display. Samuel Eto’o volleyed home the first, Thierry Henry bagged the second and Eto’o tapped home the third and the Cameroonian striker completed his hat-trick in the 24th minute, backheeling in after great work by Messi. Daniel Alves scored the fifth with a long-range free-kick just before the break.

Hopeless Basel conceded after just four minutes, but Barca’s goal was wonderful as Danny Alves’s clever cross was brilliantly converted by Messi on the volley. Minutes later Bojan had a goal ruled out for offside, but Barca soon netted their second, Sergi Busquets finishing after being skillfully teed up by Xavi. And by the 22nd minute it was three, Messi fed Bojan on the edge of the box, and the youngster turned and fired into the bottom corner. Barcelona killed the game 180 seconds into the second half, Bojan raced away to finish like an experiencing pro for the fourth before Xavi stroked home a simple fifth after woeful Swiss defending.

Goleada e lezione di calcio del Barcellona a Basilea. Basta una ventina di minuti per dare ai blaugrana un vantaggio di tre reti. La partita si sblocca già al 4′ con Messi, che da posizione defilata confeziona un gioiello volante. Poi Busquets segna il suo primo gol nel Barça, ecco la doppietta di Bojan Krkic prima del sigillo definitivo di Xavi.

Samuel Eto’o started brightly, turning sharply and seeing his shot parried away by Iralzoz after seven minutes. But Bilbao had their own chances, Yeste forced a fine save from Valez to stop his free-kick. It wasn’t until the 70th minute till the deadlock was broken, Henry played in Eto’o who lifted the ball as he collected it, before smashing a half volley past Iralzoz.

Barca came flying out the traps against Atletico, scoring an incredible three goals in the first eight minutes. Marquez headed home Xavi’s corner after four minutes, Eto’o added a second from the spot after Messi was fouled in the box, and Messi took a brilliant quick free-kick to complete the astonishing opening with the third. But Atletico hit back immediately, Maxi Rodriguez flashed a stunning 20 yard shot past Valdes to make it 3-1 after just 13 minutes. And it didn’t stop there, Eto’o ran clean through after 17 minutes and slotted home the fourth for Barca. And the madness continued, Iniesta’s shot hit the post and Gudjohnsen was on hand to register the fifth. The second half was a far tighter affair, but Henry came off the bench to fire home a beautiful sixth after slick build-up play.

Nel secondo anticipo della 6ª giornata della Liga, il Barcellona dà spettacolo al Camp Nou, trascinato dal fuoriclasse argentino Messi, che vince nettamente il duello col connazionale Aguero. In precedenza, il Villarreal capolista aveva battuto in rimonta il Betis.

Ilsinho held off Puyol and chipped over Valdes, to give Shakhtar Donetsk the opener just before half-time at home to Barcelona. On 87 minutes Lionel Messi tapped home at the back post to equalise, a goal the Ukranian bitterly contested. And in injury-time (of four minutes, played by the swiftly becoming controversial ref Howard Webb) Lionel Messi chipped another to give Barca a barely deserved win.

Incredibile a Donetsk: lo Shakhtar domina il Barcellona e va in vantaggio, ma nella mezz’ora finale entra Messi e ribalta il risultato. Poco prima dell’intervallo, ecco il meritato vantaggio della squadra di Lucescu: Pique tocca male di testa all’indietro e Ilsinho brucia Puyol per poi battere Valdes con un tocco morbido. Nella ripresa, lo Shakhtar preme, ma al 15′ arriva il momento di Messi.