First Division - Day 27

Almería 0 - Barcelona 2

Almería: Diego Alves; Bruno, Acasiete, Pellerano, Mané; Iriney, Juanito (Corona 67'); Juanma Ortíz (José Ortíz 63'), Kalu Uche (Piatti 76'), Crusat; Negredo. 4-2-3-1.
Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Daniel Alves, Piqué, Márquez, Sylvinho; Xavi, Touré Yaya, Keita (Gudjohnsen 80'); Messi, Bojan (Eto'o 67'), Iniesta (Hleb 83'). 4-3-3.

Team changes: Almería: Juanma Ortíz for Corona / Barcelona: Daniel Alves, Touré Yaya, Keita, Bojan for Puyol, Sergio Busquets, Eto'o, Henry.

Goals:
0-1. 52. Bojan. Drilled ball back in to net after Messi shot came back off post.
0-2. 56. Bojan. Picked up Alves pass and fired shot which deflected in off defender.

Yellow cards: Acasiete 20', Pellerano 73', Negredo 86'.

Barcelona kept up the six point gap over second placed Real Madrid after beating Almería 0-2 in the last match on Sunday evening. Guardiola rested Eto'o and Henry after the Champions League match, but even so his side dominated the first half, with Diego Alves making a string of important saves from Keita, Iniesta, Messi and Piqué.

Almería's only reply was a chip over the bar from Crusat, but seven minutes in to the second half Alves was finally beaten after Messi's shot came back off the foot of the post, Bojan picking up the rebound to drill a shot past the keeper. And just four minutes later the young striker got his second of the night with a shot which ballooned off a defender. It was a first home defeat for Almería since Hugo Sánchez took over a few weeks ago, but they had nothing to complain about.