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‘Big 3’ shine as Barca cruise past Czechs

Comment: 0 October 20th, 2011 by: admin

STOP Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Xavi, and Barcelona are in trouble.

Unfortunately, Viktoria Plzen failed to stop the “Big 3’’ and the Catalans romped to a 2-0 win over the Czech Republic side in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The powerhouse outfit coached by Pep Guardiola roared to their 13^th straight victory at the start of the season to set a club record and rise to 9-4-0 in all competitions.

A superb give-and-go play between Messi and Iniesta in the 10^th minute enabled the latter to net Barca’s opening goal as Camp Nou erupted in celebration. Villa put the icing on the victory cake by connecting in the 82^nd for the defending champions who posted a 78 percent possession.

Villa said they could have even won by a bigger margin but “the ball didn’t want to go in the net today.’’

Barca’s previous team-high for longest unbeaten run was a 10-2-0 feat established two years back.

Plzen coach Pavel Vrba said their game plan was to halt Messi, Iniesta and Villa but it was not implemented. “They are the best in the world as far as their individual talent goes. I would say they are perfection.’’

Barca are now 2-1-0 in Group H where AC Milan matched their card after whipping visitors BATE Borisov 2-0 through Zlatan Ibrahimovich’s goal in the 33^rd and Kevin Prince-Boateng’s brace in the 70^th.

At Stamford Bridge, Fernando Torres netted two goals to as Chelsea pulverised Genk 5-0 to lead Group E at 2-1-0. Torres netted in the 11^th and 27^th, upping his goal tally this season to five since the Blues acquired him from Liverpool for 50-million pounds ($80 million) last January.

Bayer Leverkusen came charging back to hurdle visiting Valencia 2-1 behind the heroics of Andre Schuerrle (52^nd) and Sidney Sam (56^th) in the other Group E tussle.

Midfielder Aaron Ramsey struck in the second minute of  the second-half injury time to reward Arsenal (2-1-0) a 1-0 triumph at Marseille and the lead in Group F. Olympiakos tamed Borussia Dortmund 3-1 at home in the other group encounter.

APOEL held Porto to a 1-1 tie, while Zenit St. Petersburg drew 2-2 at Shakhtar Donetsk in both Group G matches.

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