There was no surprise at Camp Nou on Wednesday, where La Liga leaders Barcelona breezed to a 4-0 win over relegation strugglers Almería. It was the Catalan side's sixth victory on the bounce, as they close in on another Spanish league title.
Barcelona vs. Almería 2015: Final score 4-0, Barça cruise to win
The Catalans didn’t have to step out of first gear.
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It took seconds for Barça to start dominating possession, though the hosts initially found life difficult against an Almería side that sat extremely deep, and defended just as narrow. The surprising result was that the first half-chance of the game fell to the visitors on the counter, though Wellington Silva lashed Thievy’s low cross from the right wide of the target.
However, that proved to be Almería's only real opportunity of the first period. Barça continued to dominate, and began to create better opportunities. Pedro hurried a volley wide from inside the area and a low Suárez cross found no one in the box, before Lionel Messi eventually decided to take things into his own hands. With 10 minutes of the half remaining, he stepped inside off the right and curled a perfect shot inside the far post for 1-0.
Almería did manage to muster a reaction before the break, though despite seeing more of the ball, Barça keeper Claudio Bravo barely had a save to make.
The game resumed in the second half with Barça back on top, though despite some of their most penetrative build-up play, they lacked an end product. Julián made a comfortable save on a long-range effort from Adriano, shortly before a low Luis Suárez cross flashed across the Almería penalty area.
The hosts nevertheless sensed that a second goal was coming, and it indeed arrived 10 minutes after the restart. Suárez cut in off the left and curled the ball into the top corner to double Barça’s advantage.
With just over 15 minutes left it was 3-0, with defender Marc Bartra escaping the attention of his marker Rafael Trujillo to power a Xavi corner home.
There was still time for a fourth in stoppage time, when a low Pedro cross left Julián stranded, and left Suárez with just a tap-in to seal his brace. It was the icing on the cake for Barça, completing the most comfortable of victories.
Barcelona: Bravo; Adriano, Mascherano, Bartra, Alves (Montoya 64’); Xavi, Roberto, Rakitić (Rafinha 68’); Pedro, Suárez, Messi.
Goals: Messi (34’), Suárez (55’, 90+3’), Bartra (75’).
Almería: Julián; Casado, Trujillo, Navarro, Marín; Corona, Partey; Edgar (Jonathan 72’), Espinosa (Mané 79’), Wellington (Soriano 56’); Thievy.
Goals: None.
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