Barcelona tear dismal Real Madrid apart

MADRID - Barcelona cruised to the top of the Spanish Liga in sumptous style by thrashing historic rivals Real Madrid 5-0 in a delighted Camp Nou.

David Villa scored twice Monday for the Catalans, who are now two points above second-placed Real.

Barca’s other goals were put away by Xavi, Pedro and super-sub Jeffren. Real had Spain defender Sergio Ramos sent off at the end.

It was the biggest thrashing suffered by Real in Barcelona since 1994 and is their first defeat under new coach Jose Mourinho. Barcahave beaten the whites in all five Clasicos since Pep Guardiola was appointed coach in 2008.

Guardiola maintained his habitual humility, saying that “it was not an easy match,” that he had “not expected” such a clear result - and that “Real Madrid are an impressive team.”

He added that “only time will tell just how good this team (Barcelona) really is. Tonight we played very well indeed.”

Two-goal hero Villa said: “This is a very important triumph. We wanted to get above them (in the table) and we have achieved that. One cannot ask for more than this.

“We were the better team,” Villa added, “and we enjoyed playing to our style. Madrid looked uncomfortable because we overran them in midfield.”

The Spain striker finished by saying: “We are now two points above them. We have to continue working, we are only in November. We have an advantage, but we have to carry on winning.”

Real coach Mourinho, for his part, said: “One team played at their maximum level and the other team played badly. This is a defeat, but not a humiliation.

“Last week we had one point more than them and now we have two points less. I have always said that Barca is the finished product and that we still have a long way to go.”

Mourinho finished, saying: “We have to show character now. When you win titles you can cry for joy but when you concede five (goals) you have to leave with the desire to train, play again and win.”

Mourinho’s tactic of playing with an advanced defence dramatically back-fired on him, as time and again Xavi and Andres Iniesta played through-balls for Villa, Pedro and Lionel Messi to run onto.

Indeed, the result would have been even more embarrassing for the Portuguese coach had it not been for Messi uncharacteristically wasting several clear chances.

Real midfielder Xabi Alonso, meanwhile, said: “They were better than us in everything. We cannot be pleased with this performance and result. But there are many matches left and nothing has finished.”

Barca dominated from start to finish, enjoying almost 70 per cent possession. After just six minutes, Messi hit Iker Casillas’ far post with a clever curling shot.

The capacity crowd did not have to wait long for the first goal. In the 10th minute Iniesta exquisitely played Xavi through. The veteran playmaker scuffed his first shot but then calmly chipped Casillas to make it 1-0.

Eight minutes later, with the Camp Nou on fire, Villa took a pass from Xavi down the left and skipped past Sergio Ramos. His centre was fumbled by Casillas, allowing Pedro to make it 2-0 from close range.

It was men against boys from then on, with Mourinho’s young team looking hopelessly out of its depth. The white cause was not helped by Gonzalo Higuain’s missing out due to a back injury. This left Cristiano Ronaldo alone in attack and the Portuguese striker looked nervous and overawed by the occasion.

Barca started the second half as they had started the first - with speed, precision and penetration. Villa scored two similar goals within the space of three minutes by finishing calmly after after being played through by Messi on both occasions.

For once, Messi was the provider instead of the finisher.

The elegant hosts then eased up, as if not wanted to humiliate Real. But in injury time Jeffren made it 5-0 by turning in a centre from fellow substitute Bojan.

The fifth goal caused Ramos to lose his discipline and he was sent off for an awful, needless foul on Messi.