FCBARCELONA.CAT

22.09.2009 11:01

Alves the free kick king

Sandra Sarmiento

Since Josep Guardiola took over as first team manager, Dani Alves has become Barça’s top marksman from free kicks.

Guardiola’s Barça has scored seven goals from free kicks and three of them have come from Dani Alves. His thunderbolt against Atlético Madrid (5-2) catapulted him to the top of this particular ranking.

Three out of six

Alves has scored half of his six Barça goals from direct free kicks. Two last season against Almería and Villarreal and the third last weekend against Atlético Madrid in the Camp Nou. In fact, all three goals have been in the Camp Nou.

Xavi, the best partner

Most of the free kicks given by the referees near the penalty area involve Xavi or Alves. They decide the strategy to follow and who will actually take the free kick. Xavi scored two goals in the Rosaleda against Malaga. – it was the first time he had scored twice in the same match – one of them an extraordinary free kick.

Xavi also clinched the Cup Final against Athletic Club in Mestalla with a free kick and was rewarded with a standing ovation from the thousands of Barça fans that had made the trip to Valencia.

Messi and Márquez complete the seven

Messi also scores from direct free kicks, such as the opportunist goal he scored last season in the 6-1 drubbing of Atlético Madrid. And the Mexican central defender made it 2-0 in the semi-finals of the Cup against Mallorca also from a direct free kick.