Photo: Alex Grimm
Getafe were sent home crying after a mesmerizing first-half performance by the Catalans whose lead at the top of the La Liga is now 5 points. Bayern Munich missed all their penalties in spectacular fashion to send Borussia Dortmund through to the DFB Pokal final.
Photo: Alex Caparros
The Messi-Suarez-Neymar trio struck gold yet again in an annihilating first-half display against visitors Getafe. Suarez was clipped by Arroyo at the edge of the penalty box and the referee was quick to point to the spot. Messi, who had missed quite a few penalties this season, scored a Paneka in nonchalant fashion. Getafe were a squad depleted by injuries and having conceded a goal as early as the 9th minute, it was going to a long evening for them. Getafe almost equalized a few minutes later but Bravo managed to clear the ball off the line to save Fredy Hinestroza’s chip. In the 25th minute, Messi dinked a curling ball over the Getafe defence and Suarez lowered his shoulder and volleyed the ball home from 12 yards to score a peach of a goal. Neymar got his goal a few minutes later, when Suarez fed the Brazilian at the left-flank and Neymar set himself up, dummied the ball past a desperate defender and hit it into the bottom-right corner. This goal took the MSN tally to 100 goals for the season, surpassing the Messi, Eto’o and Henry’s record set in 2008-09.
Photo: Alex Caparros
At the half-hour mark, the veteran Xavi received the ball just outside the box and curled the ball from 20 yards out to score his side’s fourth and yet another goal in his illustrious career in the Blaugrana strip. 10 minutes later, Messi played a one-two with Neymar and laid the ball to Xavi in the middle, who inexplicably flicked it to Suarez at on the left, who smashed home a sumptuous first-time shot into the back of the net. Getafe were praying for the first-half whistle but Barcelona were back at it when Messi received the ball in the box after some fine build-up play and the Argentine curled-cum-chipped the ball into the top-corner, to make it 6-0 by the 47th minute. Barcelona seemed to have had their share of goals and played it easy for the remainder of the game as both Suarez and Messi missed glorious chances to score hattricks. This victory sent Luis Enrique’s men 5 points clear at the top and was good preparation for their semifinal clash against Bayern Munich in the Champion League.
Photo: A. Beier
Bayern Munich met Borussia Dortmund in the high spirits after the Bavarians had won their 25th Bundesliga on Sunday and Pep Guardiola had his sights on the treble but was in for a rude shock at the Allianz Arena. Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring in the 29th minute, when his chipped shot smashed the post but the Pole managed to slice the ball under the defender Sokratis to score against his former employers. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang equalized in the 73th minute, when Mkhitaryan’s cross was met by the Gabonese striker at the far side, who stretched and managed to score from the tightest of angles. Arjen Robben returned for the first-time after injury but lasted only 16 minutes. Bayern seemed lethargic and lacked the killer touch in front of goal and paid the price as the tie went into extra-time. Kevin Kampl was sent off for Dortmund in extra-time for his second yellow but Jurgen Klopp’s men managed to hold on after Bastian Schwensteiger missed two glorious headed chances.
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After extra-time was goalless, the match went into penalties as Bayern fielded an array of expert spot-kick takers. But to the horror of the home fans, Philipp Lahm slipped and sent the ball high and wide. Ilkay Gundogan scored for visitors with a penalty into the top-corner, Neuer diving the wrong way. Xabi Alonso missed his penalty as well, slipping the same way his captain did. Thankfully for the Dortmund faithful, Sebastian Kehl struck the penalty low into the bottom corner whilst standing firmly on his feet. Bayern’s misery continued when former Dortmund man Mario Gotze’s weak penalty to the left was saved by Langerak. Hummels missed his penalty but it didn’t matter as Neuer’s penalty struck the crossbar, sending the Dortmund fans into hysterics.
In the EPL, all hopes of Champions League qualification for Liverpool vanished as they succumbed to a 1-0 defeat at Hull City.
