Barcelona turn on style to join Valencia at summit
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-09-24 09:38

Barcelona delighted their fans with a sparkling display at the Nou Camp to come from a goal down and seal a 4-1 win over Real Zaragoza in the Primera Liga on Thursday.

 The Catalans joined Valencia at the top of the table with 10 points from four games but the champions, who crushed Deportivo Coruna 5-1 on Wednesday, lead the standings on goals scored.

 

FC Barcelona's Brazilian player Ronaldinho (L) fights for the ball against Zaragoza's Argentinian player Gabriel Milito (R).[Reuters]

Real Madrid are a point behind in third following their 1-0 win over Osasuna on Tuesday, while Espanyol head a chasing pack of seven teams a further two points adrift.

 The evening started badly for Barca when Brazilian left back Silvinho and right back Gabri left the pitch with what appeared to be serious knee injuries inside the first 10 minutes.

 They suffered a further setback when an error by striker Samuel Eto'o helped Zaragoza take the lead five minutes later.

 The African Player of the Year sent a sloppy back pass to the feet of opposite number David Villa who checked past two defenders and fired the ball low inside the post beyond keeper Victor Valdes.

 The hosts appeared shaken by the setbacks and did not find their usual spark until midway through the half when Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Xavi went close with powerful long-range efforts.

 Eto'o atoned for his mistake and put Barca level with a cracking goal on 25 minutes.

 The Cameroon striker brought down a long pass from Deco with his chest on the right-hand-side of the area, cut inside and unleashed a perfectly struck curling shot that gave Zaragoza keeper Luis Garcia no chance.

 Eto'o grabbed his second a minute after the break, finishing off a superbly worked move initiated when defender Carles Puyol launched a long pass towards the Zaragoza area from inside his own half.

 Brazilian Ronaldinho brought the ball down with his toe a metre inside the area before picking out Eto'o with a delightful dinked pass and the Cameroon striker got ahead of two defenders to volley home from close range.

 Barca took complete control as they sprayed the ball around midfield and stretched Zaragoza at the back.

 Xavi was outstanding at the heart of the team, capping a brilliant performance when he sent a swirling 25-metre shot thundering in off the bar in the 67th minute.

 Defender Van Bronckhorst completed the rout 11 minutes from time, drilling in at the near post after another delightful assist from Ronaldinho to leave the Nou Camp faithful purring with delight.

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