Barcelona 3 - Recreativo Huelva 0

Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Zambrotta (Oleguer 65'), Puyol (Márquez 54'), Milito, Abidal; Xavi, Touré Yayá, Iniesta; Messi, Henry, Gudjohnsen (Bojan 60'). 4-3-3.
Recreativo: Sorrentino; Pampa Calvo, Martín Cáceres, Iago Bouzón, Poli; Martins (Zahinos 60'), Jesús Vázquez; Aitor (Javi Guerrero 68'), Camuñas (Rosu 75'), Marquitos; Sinama-Pongolle. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Barça: Zambrotta, Gudjohnsen for Thuram, Ronaldinho / Recreativo: Iago Bouzón, Jesús Vázquez, Marquitos for Beto, Quique Alvarez, Javi Guerrero.

Goals:
1-0. 64. Milito. Ran on to head Xavi corner across Sorrentino into far corner.
2-0. 66. Bojan. Picked up square pass from Henry and shot wide of keeper.
3-0. 81. Messi (penalty). After Messi himself brought down by Martín Cáceres.

Barcelona moved up to second pending Villarreal's game on Sunday after beating Recreativo 3-0. Frank Rijkaard's side were under pressure to get a result, in particular after remarks from Edmilson that there were "black sheep" in the changing room, but prime suspect Ronaldinho pulled out of the squad late on claiming he was tired following appearances for Brazil.

It took Barça a long time to get going though, the only real chances a couple of efforts from Iniesta and Messi which Sorrentino kept out. Messi broke through at the start of the second half only to roll a shot just wide of the post, but Sinama-Pongolle went close for the visitors at the other end, and Rijkaard decided to make a change, bringing on Bojan Krkic.

It couldn't have worked better, as almost immediately Milito headed Xavi's corner past Sorrentino to open the scoring. And two minutes later Bojan picked up a pass from Henry and dummied past a defender to shoot wide of the keeper for his first goal in the Nou Camp.

Bojan could have scored again had Henry not been pulled up for a non existent offside, but soon afterwards Messi made it three from the penalty spot after he was fouled by Cáceres. Barcelona had kept up their 100% home record and move to within two points of their eternal rivals, and Recre stay down in the bottom three for now.