Argentine star Lionel Messi celebrated his new deal with Barcelona by scoring twice in the European champions' 5-2 win over floundering Atletico Madrid on Saturday. Messi signed a two-year contract extension on Friday which will keep him at the club until 2016, with a buy-out clause rising from 150 million to an even more staggering 250 million euros.
He showed his value to the defending champions on Saturday as Barcelona made it three wins in three games to stay top of the table. Having failed to record a win so far this season the signs were ominous for Atletico ahead of their visit to the Nou Camp, and with memories of their 5-1 defeat by Barca in their last visit to Catalonia still fresh, they quickly went behind after a good finish from Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
In an open game, Messi then scored the first of a brace, rounding the keeper after being put clear by Xavi Hernandez. Atletico too had their chances though with Dmytro Chygrynskiy having a rocky home debut at centre half. Maxi Rodriguez and Jose Jurado had chances to pull a goal back before a Dani Alves free-kick and a Seydou Keita tap-in gave Barca a 4-0 advantage.
A poor header from Sergio Busquets set up Sergio Aguero who pulled a goal back before half-time. Barcelona took their foot off the pedal after the break but continued to control the game except for rare counter-attacks from Atletico, one of which, leading to a Diego Forlan goals six minutes from time.
Messi though completed the scoring during injury time. New signing Alvaro Negredo scored his first goal for Sevilla, who gave further evidence that they will be a force to reckon with this season as they beat Osasuna 2-0. It was over 15 years since Sevilla last won in Pamplona but the Osasuna defence struggled with the power and strength of Negredo and Frederic Kanoute from the start - the Malian hitting the crossbar mid-way through the first half.
Osasuna did enjoy some possession if few chances and it was Negredo, supplied by Adriano Correia, who put the visitors ahead after 36 minutes. In the second half Walter Pandiani missed a glorious chance to equalise before Kanoute doubled Sevilla's advantage and secured the victory. Late on Sergio Fernandez was dismissed for a strong challenge on Diego Perotti to add to Osasuna's woes.
Racing Santander came out on top with their clash with Malaga who will rue missed chances. The match finished 2-1 with Sergio Duda equalising a first half goal from Manuel Arana but Nasief Morris headed home the winner eleven minutes from time. The home forward line, and especially Edinho and Nabil Baha, will look back with regret though on their poor finishing.
Earlier Real Mallorca equalled their best ever start to a season with a convincing 4-0 win over newly promoted Tenerife. The Balearic Island side took the game to Tenerife from the start, going ahead after 16 minutes through Mario Suarez. With the ball loose in the penalty area following a corner, the midfielder was quickest to react and slotted home.
Tenerife fought back and had the chances to equalise before half-time notably for Richi Perez, who failed one-on-one with the keeper but in the second half Mallorca finished off the match. Artiz Aduriz completed a good move after 50 minutes and then eight minutes later Julio Alvarez was put through by Borja Valero and he beat the keeper clinically. Then two minutes before time a Pierre Webo penalty completed the rout.
After the match coach Gregorio Manzano claimed that his side were technically superior."We should not get carried away as in the first half Tenerife had a reasonable amount of possession. We changed our system in the second half and that was when Tenerife really struggled," he said.
Bottom side Espanyol managed their first win of the season, and their first goals, with a 3-2 away win at Deportivo la Coruna. Real Madrid spent heavily over the summer looking to bring an end to Barca's dominance.
While it had been said that Cristiano Ronaldo was feeling the pressure of expectancy after his high-profile move from Manchester United his two goals for Real in their midweek Champions League victory over FC Zurich will have worked well to take the pressure off his shoulders. As the team prepare to face Xerez on Sunday the bad news is that they will be without Xabi Alonso for up to ten days with a calf injury.
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