Barcelona took a major step towards the Champions League semi-finals with a commanding 5-1 win over Shakhtar Donetsk as clinical finishing proved the difference between the sides.
Andres Iniesta gave Barca a lead right from the start but Shakhtar spurned a number of good chances to draw level before Dani Alves and Gerard Pique extended the lead.
Yaroslav Rakitskiy pulled a goal back for the Ukrainians but Seydou Keita immediately responded for the home side and then Xavi Hernandez gave the Catalan side a resounding win.
There were no real surprises in the Barcelona starting line-up with Pedro Rodriguez only fit enough for the bench and so Iniesta was pushed into attack with Keita providing a more defensive feel in midfield.
At the back as in the 1-0 victory over Villarreal at the weekend, Sergio Busquets started alongside Gerard Pique with Carles Puyol injured.
For Shakhtar, Dmytro Chygrynskiy missed the chance through injury of a return to the Nou Camp and show the home fans what he can really do after an ill-fated season where he failed to justify his big money move.
Ahead of the game Barca coach Pep Guardiola warned against complacency as Shakhtar are a team which has improved season upon season. They have added to a solid base with a forward line of quality attacking Brazilians.
The last time the teams met in the 2009 UEFA Super Cup it took Barcelona until the 115th minute to score the only goal of the game but thanks to a lucky deflection they were ahead Wednesday after just two minutes with Iniesta calmly slotting passed the keeper.
Experienced Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu has always been an exponent of attacking football and in an action packed opening spell they showed they had a forward line to hurt Barca.
In particular it was the pace of Luiz Adriano that was causing a danger and he had several excellent opportunities but his composure let him down.
He failed to take the ball in his stride after being put through and then after a delightful pass from Douglas Costa he prodded wide of the post.
While Leo Messi was a constant threat playing through the middle, Shakhtar were also causing problems for themselves. A careless back pass from Mykola Ishchenko allowed in Messi, whose finishing for once let him down and his attempted lob was caught by the keeper.
Barca did double the lead when Alves timed his run to perfection to keep on side and collect an Iniesta pass before finishing in an empty net.
After the break Shakhtar were rueding their misfortune when a Pique shot from a corner went in after striking Rakitskiy and wrong footing the keeper.
Rakitskiy made amends at the other end by flicking a free-kick passed keeper Victor Valdes but any hope of a comeback was short-lived. From the restart Barca attacked and Messi found Keita in oceans of space and he powered a shot into the roof of the net from the edge of the area.
There was to be no joy for Adriano as he hit the inside of the post for Shakhtar and then in the final minutes Xavi was left unmarked to convert a Dani Alves cross and put Barca on the verge of the semi-finals.
They are the current leading soccer tipsters in this month competition. See also tipsters rankings.
![]() |
Idangangan
posts a Over / Under tip on São Paulo vs Ponte Preta 7 minutes ago |
![]() |
Idangangan
posts a Over / Under tip on EC São José vs Pelotas 7 minutes ago |
![]() |
slavek69
posts a Over / Under tip on Galatasaray vs AZ 12 minutes ago |
![]() |
slavek69
posts a Over / Under tip on Heidenheim vs FC København 12 minutes ago |
![]() |
slavek69
posts a Over / Under tip on Sporting KC vs Inter Miami 14 minutes ago |
![]() |
slavek69
posts a Over / Under tip on Herediano vs Real Salt Lake 15 minutes ago |
![]() |
drop.punt
posts a Draw No Bet tip on Borussia Dortmund vs Sporting CP 22 minutes ago |
![]() |
jaroslavs
posts a Over / Under tip on Borussia Dortmund vs Sporting CP 23 minutes ago |
![]() |
jaroslavs
posts a Over / Under tip on Borussia Dortmund vs Sporting CP 24 minutes ago |
![]() |
Xolanizenzele950
posts a 1X2 tip on Marumo Gallants FC vs Mamelodi Sundowns 26 minutes ago |
Upcoming football matches with excellent head to head records over their opponents.
|
Sign in to view more football matches.
Football clubs who play better for their home games H2H.
|
Sign in to view more football matches.
Football clubs that play well for their away games.
|
Sign in to view more football matches.
Motivated teams after winning five matches in a row or they have maintained a ten-match unbeaten run. The bookmakers label them as favourites for a reason.
Teams in crisis after five consecutive defeats or they did not win their last ten football matches. You should avoid betting on these underdogs.
Teams having a draw in the last five matches.
Teams that have won all their home matches.
|
Sign in to view more football teams.
Teams that have not lost at home matches.
|
Sign in to view more football teams.
Teams that have not won at away matches.
|
Sign in to view more football teams.
This tipsters ranking is based on single picks excluding doubles and multi accumulators. For the full ranking click here.
Tipsters with consecutive winnings in their recent predictions.
Tipsters whom have lost a few matches in a row. Bad luck you call it.
It makes my analysis of odds sharp, and it also keeps me closer to what is happening in terms of results. What I hope I will benefit is the skill to always makes a profit in gambling
From as little as $1 per soccer tip.
|
Arbitrage is an effective way to make guaranteed profits without losing your money.
Analyze soccer matches, inclusive of past results, head to head stats, today match fixtures, live soccer odds, players and team form.
Check the latest and fastest live score results for all football matches. Know who are the goalscorers, yellow card and red card offenders.
Read up these useful tips for soccer betting.
Get the listings of soccer leagues and competitions for each region, including past seasons results and football statistics.
Want to bet on a match today? Check out the list of today match fixtures.
Read MoreGet the match results for all the soccer matches around the globe. Inclusive of half-time, full-time results.
Read MoreAre you an expert in soccer betting? Join SoccerPunter Tipsters competition to challenge against the top football tipsters and win prizes!
Read MoreCopyright © 2002-2025 SoccerPunter Pte. Ltd. All rights reserved.
Be the first to comment: