Barcelona shows depth
04/03/2010 09:09:43 PM
Barcelona showed it has plenty in reserve ahead of Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Arsenal as it comprehensively beat Athletic Bilbao 4-1 with a team featuring several fringe players at the Nou Camp.
The Catalan giants lost striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic with a calf injury before kick-off but youngster Jeffren Suarez, who started on the right of midfield, opened the scoring after 26 minutes, before Bojan Krkic bagged a brace either side of half-time.
Lionel Messi added a fourth midway through the second period and, although Markel Susaeta pulled a goal back for Athletic late on, it was merely a consolation.
Real Zaragoza moved a step closer to Primera Division survival by easing past a Malaga side who dropped into the bottom five following a 2-0 defeat.
Leo Ponzio broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time with a superb 25-yard finish and in-form striker Humberto Suazo sealed the points 14 minutes from time.
It was a deserved victory for Zaragoza but they made heavy weather of seeing off Malaga, spurning a number of openings in each half.
Sevilla earned a morale-boosting and timely victory after seeing off lowly Tenerife 3-0 at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.
First-half goals from strike duo Frederic Kanoute and Luis Fabiano gave Sevilla a deserved half-time lead and they wrapped up their biggest league win since September when Jose Carlos curled home a late free-kick.
The victory provisionally moves Sevilla back into fourth place, a point ahead of Real Mallorca which play Almeria.