Barcelona 6 - Atlético Madrid 1

Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Puyol, Márquez, Piqué, Abidal; Xavi (Keita 74'), Sergio Busquets, Gudjohnsen; Messi (Bojan 70'), Eto'o (Henry 59'), Iniesta. 4-3-3.
Atlético: Coupet; Perea, Heitinga, Ujfalusi, Antonio López; Maxi (Miguel 21'), Raúl García, Paulo Assunçao, Luis García (Pernía 46'); Sinama-Pongolle, Agüero (Banega 58'). 4-4-2.

Team changes: Barcelona: Piqué, Eto'o for Daniel Alves, Henry / Atlético: Heitinga, Paulo Assunçao for Seitaridis, Banega.

Goals:
1-0. 03. Márquez. Got above defence to head Xavi corner wide of Coupet.
2-0. 05. Eto'o (penalty). After Messi pushed over by Ujfalusi inside area.
3-0. 08. Messi. Quickly taken free kick which caught the defence off guard.
3-1. 13. Maxi. Won ball off Busquets and fired long shot across Víctor Valdés.
4-1. 18. Eto'o. Chested down long Xavi pass and beat Ujfalusi to score.
5-1. 28. Gudjohnsen. Rolled ball back in to net after Iniesta shot came off post.
6-1. 73. Henry. Drove shot past Coupet after passing move with Xavi and Bojan.

Yellow cards: Maxi 08', Antonio López 32', Heitinga 32', Ujfalusi 52', Márquez 54', Henry 63'.

Everybody was looking forward to Saturday evening's game between Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, a fixture which has a reputation for goals, and which saw Argentina stars Messi and Agüero facing off against each other. Nobody imagined however that there would be six in the first half hour as Pep Guardiola's side ran out 6-1 winners in the end.

Within eight minutes Barça were three up, Márquez heading Xavi's corner past Coupet, Eto'o converting a penalty after Ujfalusi fouled Messi, and Messi firing in a quickly taken free kick which left the defence motionless. Maxi won the ball in midfield and ran on to beat Valdés and get one back, but Eto'o controlled a long Xavi pass and turned Ujfalusi to score a fourth, and Gudjohnsen made it five after Iniesta's shot came back off the post.

Incredibly less than thirty minutes had gone since the kick off, and it could have been more as Barça kept up the pressure to the break. Iniesta hit the post again and Messi failed to turn in the rebound, Gudjohnsen shot just wide from another Xavi cross, and Messi produced the run of the night, picking up the ball in his own half and beating man after man before chipping a shot just wide of Coupet's post.

Aguirre had already lost Maxi to an early injury, and he decided to try and limit the damage at the break, bringing on a second left back to try and curb Messi's runs down the right. Still the home side carved out chances, Eto'o being closed down by Coupet as he advanced on goal, Puyol heading wide and the keeper saving another effort from Gudjohnsen. Ujfalusi tested Valdés with a header from a corner, but then Barcelona scored again, substitute Henry combining with Xavi and Bojan in a quick passing move which the French forward finished off with an impressive shot into the bottom corner of the net.

After that everybody had had enough action for the night, and apart from a couple of efforts from Bojan that was it. An amazing night of football, and Barça rise up the table to second pending Sunday's games.