02.05.2010 13:09
Plenty of talking points from El Madrigal
Anna Segura
Xavi’s excellent performance, the end of Messi’s goal drought (all of five games!) and the importance of the three points are at the centre of any analysis of last night’s game against Villarreal.
• Xavi, 350 league games: despite being doubtful until
the last minute, Xavi started the game and put in a magisterial performance on his 350th league
game for the club. The Catalan midfielder is now just 41 games short of the club record for league
appearances held by Migueli.
• Six scorer from a free kick: Xavi became the sixth scorer from a free kick
this season with his goal at the Madrigal. Alves, Ibra, Márquez, Henry and have also scored from
dead ball situations.
• Eight home grown players: it was always going to be a tough game, but
Guardiola plumped for his home grown players for the match –sending out eight who’d
come through La Masia in his starting line up.
• And home grown goals! For the seventh time in the league this season, the
team scored more than three goals and home grown players -Xavi, Bojan and Messi in Villarreal-got
them all.
• Bojan scores again at the Madrigal: Bojan’s goal
against Villarreal was memorable, but perhaps not as much so as his first on 20 October 2007, when
he became the club’s youngest ever league goal scorer when he was just 17 years, 1 month and
22 days old.
Sergio to miss Tenerife game.
Sergio Busquets’ yellow card against Villarreal was his fifth and means he will be suspended
for Tuesday’s game against Tenerife. The Catalan midfielder was the protagonist in a
confusing incident when he was subbed by Guardiola, as the ref appeared to be showing him his
second yellow, when in fact it was for the Villarreal player Llorente, according to the ref for:
“grabbing an opponent as he was leaving the pitch in an attempt to make him leave
immediately”.