Barcelona: Víctor Valdés (Pinto 23’); Adriano, Marc Bartra, Mascherano, Jordi Alba; Fàbregas, Alex Song, Iniesta (Sergi Roberto 46‘); Alexis, Messi, Neymar (Pedro 70’). 4-3-3.
Celta: Yoel; Hugo Mallo, Cabral (Iñigo López 37’), Aurtenetxe, Jonny Castro; Alex López, Fontàs (Oubiña 73’), Madinda; Augusto Fernández, Santi Mina, Orellana (Mario Bermejo 63’). 4-3-3.
Goals:
1-0. 06. Neymar. Turned ball in from close up after Alexis passed across goal.
2-0. 30. Messi. Collected Iniesta through ball and rounded keeper to score.
3-0. 67. Neymar. Picked up long Alexis pass and fired angled shot past Yoel.
Yellow cards: Adriano 19’, Jordi Alba 45’, Augusto Fernández 74’, Hugo Mallo 82’.
Barcelona stay a point behind leaders Atlético in the table after a comfortable 3-0 victory over Celta on Wednesday evening. Neymar opened the scoring for the locals early on after Alexis finished off a quick passing move, but there was a serious blow for the team when Víctor Valdés injured himself saving an Orellana free kick soon afterwards, later confirmed as a torn knee ligament which will keep him out for six months or so. With half an hour gone however Messi picked up an Iniesta through ball to round Yoel for the second, and substitute keeper Pinto (himself an ex “Zamora” trophy winner with Celta) made excellent saves from Augusto Fernández (twice) and Santi Mina either side of half time. Midway through the second half Neymar got his second of the evening after picking up a long ball from Alexis before coolly waiting to beat Yoel with an angled shot, but there was bit of concern after that when Pinto lost the ball trying to dribble round Mario Bermejo, and ended up injuring himself against the post. He carried on though to save a couple more times from Bermejo, and Jordi Alba came close to a fourth when he shot just wide near the end.