Barcelona cruised to their first win of the pre-season campaign, hammering Valerenga in Oslo on Saturday.
Alexis Sanchez, Cristian Tello and Lionel
Messi all scored within the first 15 minutes, giving the Norwegians a
mountain to climb. A goal just before half-time from Jonathan Dos
Santos, a double from Jean Marie Dongou, and a late strike from Joan
Roman sealed the win for the Catalan side.
It didn't take the Blaugrana long to open up their account, as Alexis
put them ahead after just five minutes. Messi picked up the ball in a
deep position in midfield and clipped a ball out to the right-hand side
for the Chilean, who jinked his way into the box before guiding a
left-footed strike home.
Barca doubled their lead just one minute later, with Messi the architect once again. The Argentine found Tello
with a lovely threaded pass inside the Valerenga right-back and the
21-year-old coolly stroked the ball home into the bottom right corner.
Never one to be left out of the goals, Messi
grabbed the third of the match 13 minutes in. The Barcelona captain for
the evening picked up the ball on the edge of the box and drifted past
three challenges before reversing a left-footed shot into the bottom
corner, giving goalkeeper Lars Hirschfeld no chance.
New Barca coach Gerardo Martino watched
from the stands as he witnessed his new side completely dominate the
first half, and it could have been much worse for Valerenga in the
opening 45 if not for the heroics of Hirschfeld in goal and the
woodwork.
The Canadian goalkeeper kept the score
relatively low as he pulled of a string of saves from Messi, Tello, and
Alexis. Barca were also denied midway through the half when the
Argentine clipped a strike towards goal, only to see his attempt crash
off the post.
The visitors would not have to wait too long to extend the scoreline, however. Dos Santos
made it four just before the break as he latched on to an Alexis pass
to the front post before squeezing a shot past Hirschfeld.
It would not get much easier for the
Norwegians after half-time as Barca scored two within the first 10
minutes of the second period through substitute, Dongou.
The Cameroonian latched on to a pass
through the middle from Alexis and coolly finished. A couple of minutes
later he received the ball from the Chilean again as he stabbed a shot
home to make it 6-0
Valerenga grew into the match as the
second half wore on, however, and almost grabbed a goal to please their
home fans. Mohammed Fellah came closest for the Norwegians, but his two
strikes from the edge of the box were easily handled by substitute
keeper, Oier.
The victory was rounded off for Barcelona
five minutes from time when substitute Joan Roman cut inside from the
left-hand side and rifled a strike into the top left corner.
Barcelona go on to face Rosenborg in
Denmark on Monday as they prepare for the oncoming season and their
defence of the Spanish Primera Division.