The Hindu : Sport / Football : Messi stars for Barcelona, Real loses

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Messi stars for Barcelona, Real loses

MADRID: Barcelona went six points clear at the top of the Primera Liga with a 3-0 win away to Sevilla on Saturday after second-placed and champion Real Madrid lost 3-1 at Getafe.

Barca’s Samuel Eto’o got a typical poacher’s goal, bursting into the area to stab a loose ball high into the net after 20 minutes of a pulsating encounter at the Sanchez Pizjuan.

Sevilla’s Frederic Kanoute hit the bar just before halftime but there was precious little space for either side to operate.

Barcelona dominated possession but Lionel Messi was closely marshalled until the 79th minute, when he raced on to a long ball and volleyed past Andres Palop.

The Argentine forward scampered after another long ball to round Palop for his second goal in the final minute by which time Sevilla was down to 10 men. Brazilian striker Luis Fabiano was sent off for elbowing in the 86th.

Tactical display

Real has only won once at the Coliseum and was always second best as Getafe built on last weekend’s 1-1 draw in Barcelona with another intelligent tactical display.

“Getafe were much better. They played a spectacular game and the scoreline flatters us,” Real coach Bernd Schuster said.

Del Piero’s 250th

Meanwhile in Italy, veteran forward Alessandro Del Piero bagged his 250th Juventus goal as the Turin giant climbed up to second in the Serie A table with a 4-0 victory over Reggina on Saturday. In Catania, Lecce drew with Catania 1-1

The results: Primera Liga: Getafe 3 (Albin 3, 47, Uche 82) bt Real Madrid 1 (Saviola 55); Sevilla 0 lost to Barcelona 3 (Eto’o 20, Messi 78, 90+2).

Serie A: Catania 1 (Paolucci 61) drew with Lecce 1 (Castillo 69); Juventus 4 (Camoranesi 28, Amauri 44, Chiellini 62, Del Piero 74-pen) bt Reggina 0. — Agencies

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