Xavi lifts listless Barcelona to win
October 27, 2011, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
XAVI celebrated setting a club record for La Liga appearances when he netted a superb freekick to give an otherwise listless Barcelona a 1-0 win at Granada on Tuesday in a scrappy game in which the home side finished with nine men.
The 31-year-old Spain midfielder, playing his 392nd league match, struck in the 33rd minute to lift the champion above surprise package Levante and rival Real Madrid to the top of the standings.
Xavi's mark beat the previous record set by Migueli, a central defender known as "Tarzan" who played for Barcelona in the 1970s and 80s. Xavi already owned the appearance record for all competitions, which he extended on Tuesday to 591.
"It was a difficult match that we were unable to kill off in the second half," he told reporters after scoring his fourth league goal of the campaign.
"Generally it was a good performance but everything can be improved on," he added.
Barca, which has not conceded a goal in seven matches in all competitions, has 21 points from nine games.
Levante is on 20 from eight ahead of its home match against Real Sociedad, when Real, which has 19 points, hosts Villarreal.
Sevilla stayed fourth on 17 points after it needed a stoppage time equalizer to rescue a 2-2 draw at home to struggling Racing Santander in the late kickoff.
A 37th-minute Manu del Moral header put the Andalusians in front before second-half goals from forward Ariel Nahuelpan and youth team midfielder Jairo Samperio took Santander within sight of its first win of the season.
However, Del Moral rose to nod in a second in the 92nd minute to preserve Sevilla's unbeaten start.
The 31-year-old Spain midfielder, playing his 392nd league match, struck in the 33rd minute to lift the champion above surprise package Levante and rival Real Madrid to the top of the standings.
Xavi's mark beat the previous record set by Migueli, a central defender known as "Tarzan" who played for Barcelona in the 1970s and 80s. Xavi already owned the appearance record for all competitions, which he extended on Tuesday to 591.
"It was a difficult match that we were unable to kill off in the second half," he told reporters after scoring his fourth league goal of the campaign.
"Generally it was a good performance but everything can be improved on," he added.
Barca, which has not conceded a goal in seven matches in all competitions, has 21 points from nine games.
Levante is on 20 from eight ahead of its home match against Real Sociedad, when Real, which has 19 points, hosts Villarreal.
Sevilla stayed fourth on 17 points after it needed a stoppage time equalizer to rescue a 2-2 draw at home to struggling Racing Santander in the late kickoff.
A 37th-minute Manu del Moral header put the Andalusians in front before second-half goals from forward Ariel Nahuelpan and youth team midfielder Jairo Samperio took Santander within sight of its first win of the season.
However, Del Moral rose to nod in a second in the 92nd minute to preserve Sevilla's unbeaten start.
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