Henry & Messi imperious
Barcelona took a giant step towards winning the Primera Division title
after crushing arch rivals and nearest challengers Real Madrid in
stunning fashion at the Bernabeu.
Thierry Henry and Lionel Messi both netted braces while Carles Puyol
and Gerard Pique were also on the scoresheet as Pep Guardiola's treble-chasers
inflicted a first league defeat on in-form Madrid since beating the
reigning champions at the Nou Camp in December.
Madrid had picked up 52 points from a possible 54 since that match,
but their hopes of a third successive title now look sunk after
they fell seven points adrift of Barca with only four games remaining.
Barca, who also hold the better head-to-head record against their
rivals, can now clinch the title next weekend if they beat Villarreal
and Madrid lose to Valencia.
In last season's corresponding fixture Barca had a night to forget,
starting with the chastening experience of giving hosts Madrid a
guard of honour and applauding them onto the pitch for having just
won the league, and ending with a 4-1 hammering.
It was a completely different story tonight, though they needed
to bounce back from an early deficit as Madrid went ahead inside
14 minutes through Gonzalo Higuain.
Pique wrapped up the scoring eight minutes from time with what was
Barca's 100th league goal of the season.
Barca can now look forward to their midweek Champions League semi-final
trip to Chelsea confident that they virtually have the Primera Division
title wrapped up.
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