Messi, Ronaldo score as Barcelona and Real Madrid top the Spanish League

Messi and Ronaldo scored for their respective club as Barcelona and Real Madrid cruised to their second consecutive win. Barca and Real now have a maximum of 6 points each. The Spanish League for season 2009/2010 will be “the league to watch” as Real reorganized their team to include big names like Ronaldo, Kaka and Alonso. This comes as a result of the “Phenomenal Barcelona Team Season 2008/2009” success in completing the treble, the first club from Spain to do so, last season.

Both Kaka and Ronaldo were the recipients of FIFA World Player of the Year as well as "Ballon d'Or", often referred to as the European Footballer of the Year, in 2007 and 2008 respectively. Well, things changed a lot after that. Now, Lionel Messi is the firm favorite to win the FIFA World Player of the Year 2009 and also the European Footballer of the Year after guiding Barcelona to win the treble last season! To read more about his superb performance, Click here.



Barcelona’s match against Real Madrid season 2009/2010. Real Madrid will certainly give Barcelona a good run for their money this season.

Sun, Nov 29 2009 Real Madrid 11:00 am EST
Sun, Apr 11 2010 away at Real Madrid 11:00 am EDT

So, what are you waiting for? Set up your alarm clock/calendar ladies and gentlemen!

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On Barcelona's treble, Henry has something to share...

"No team has ever done the treble in Spain, and we'll be remembered as the first team to do it," Barcelona striker Thierry Henry said. "That's amazing." (For record, Barcelona won the Spanish Cup (Copa del Rey), then the Spanish League, and now the Champions League in 2009! Undisputedly The Team of the Year - Barcelona)

Read more here: UEFA Champions League 2009 Winner Is... Barcelona!!!


Barcelona - "Phenomenal Team of the Year 2008/2009"

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Spanish La Liga Roundup, Sep. 12

MADRID (AP) - Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Lionel Messi led Barcelona to a 2-0 Spanish league win at Getafe on Saturday while Real Madrid beat Espanyol 3-0 after record signing Cristiano Ronaldo came on as a second-half substitute to score.

Ibrahimovic toe-poked Seydou Keita's deflected centering pass under goalkeeper Oscar Ustari and off the inside of the far post to open in the 66th minute. The Sweden striker controlled with his chest to cross for a streaking Messi to head home the second for the Spanish champions in the 79th.

Ronaldo, signed this summer for a record €94 million from Manchester United, watched from the bench as Esteban Granero fired Madrid ahead in the 40th after being set up by Kaka.

The Brazil playmaker then fed Jose Maria "Guti" Gutierrez in the 77th for the second before the Portugal winger scored his second of the season in injury time.

"He's a player who's still adapting to a new league so I don't think we can ask much more," coach Manuel Pellegrino said of Ronaldo.

Barcelona and Real Madrid both have a maximum six points while Atletico Madrid remains without a win after drawing 1-1 against Racing Santander.

Brazil striker Luis Fabiano scored two goals as Sevilla rebounded from an opening-day defeat to beat Zaragoza 4-1.

Fabiano beat Juan Pablo Carrizo to Alvaro Negredo's flick-on to tip the ball over the Zaragoza goalkeeper in first-half injury time and then slotted a rebound past the Argentine 'keeper in the 87th.

Abdoulay Konko had put Sevilla ahead in the eighth minute after a feed from Renato before Javier Arizmendi equalized in the 33rd with his second goal of the season. Diego Perotti scored Sevilla's third in the 57th from a hard shot.

Barcelona welcomed back Andres Iniesta for the first time since the Champions League final victory in May, but it was the host who nearly scored first.

Getafe nearly went ahead behind first-half pressure that included Juan Angel Albin hitting the crossbar from long range in the 12th before Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes saved Roberto Soldado's point-blank attempt.

Barcelona finally rallied with Keita slashing wide a minute later before Ustari got down to stop Ibrahimovic's low shot from inside the area just before halftime.

"We were lucky to go into halftime tied," Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola said. "In the second half we were much better."

Ustari did well again in the 59th to tip Xavi Hernandez's swiveled volley over the crossbar, but Getafe's defense was troubled by Ibrahimovic who warmed up for a midweek Champions League game against former club Inter Milan with his second goal in as many games.

"Ibrahimovic was extraordinary," Guardiola said of his €66-million Samuel Eto'o replacement.

Messi, who came on as in the 57th, scored in his first appearance of the season after the Argentina winger skipped an opening-day win over Sporting Gijon for international duty.

In the first game at Espanyol's Cornella-El Prat stadium, a minute's silence was held to remember Daniel Jarque, the Espanyol captain who died during the preseason.

Pellegrini watched uncomfortably as only poor finishing kept Espanyol from taking the lead in the first half. Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas blocked Moises Hurtado's shot from in front of goal with his legs in the 20th.

Kaka played Granero into the area and the Spanish midfielder beat Carlos Kameni at the far post to give his team the lead.

Pellegrini finally brought Ronaldo in for the ineffective Karim Benzema in the 66th, and Raul Gonzalez came on for Gonzalo Higuain two minutes before Guti beat Kameni.

Guti played Ronaldo through down the flank and the winger beat Kameni with a low shot.


Source: http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/10007230/Spanish-La-Liga-Roundup,-Sep.-12