Barcelona - NouCamp Faithful

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Fiorentina 2 - 1 Barcelona : Federico Bernardeschi nets early brace as Fiorentina hold off Barcelona

Federico Bernardeschi scored twice early in the first half to help Fiorentina defeat Barcelona 2-1 in the International Champions Cup on Sunday.

Bernardeschi opened the scoring with a header after just four minutes and then doubled the hosts' advantage in the 12th minute.

Barcelona responded five minutes later as Luis Suarez got on the end of a volleyed Ivan Rakitic pass to poke home.

But despite controlling 70 percent of possession there would be no equaliser for Barcelona, who again played without stars Lionel Messi and Neymar following their participation in the Copa America this summer.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Barcelona 3 - 0 AS Roma : Lionel Messi cautioned for head-butt, throat grab of Roma's Yanga-Mbiwa

Lionel Messi and Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa both received yellow cards after a heated exchange that saw the Barcelona No. 10 head-butt and grab the throat of the Roma defender in a 3-0 friendly win for Barca in the Joan Gamper Trophy match on Wednesday.

It's unclear what provoked the incident, but in the 34th minute Messi and Yanga-Mbiwa came face-to-face, with the Argentine clearly upset about something. Yanga-Mbiwa appeared to initiate the contact, leaning in with his forehead, and Messi responded by head-butting the French defender and then reaching for his throat.

The two players walked away of their own volition, with both receiving yellow cards. The offense could have easily drawn red for both, but Spanish referee Javier Estrada Fernandez instead only issued yellow.

Messi scored seven minutes later to give Barcelona a 2-0 advantage, building on a 26th minute goal from Neymar.

Ivan Rakitic left no doubt as to the outcome with a 66th minute strike from long range for the 3-0 final.

Roma's Alessandro Florenzi and Radja Nainggolan were also booked on a frustrating night for the visitors from Serie A.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Barcelona 5 - 4 Sevilla : Barcelona win UEFA Super Cup with Pedro's winner in extra time

Pedro shrugged off rampant speculation over his future to score the winner in extra time and help Barcelona lift the UEFA Super Cup on Tuesday with a 5-4 win over Sevilla.

Amid reports that Pedro requested to leave Barcelona with a transfer to Manchester United nearly complete, the forward came off the bench to slam home the winner on a rebound following a Lionel Messi free kick in the 115th minute.

The dramatic late winner came after Messi had already scored on two free kicks for the first time in his career, and Sevilla had rallied back from three goals down in the second half.

Ever Banega had given Sevilla a surprise lead with a free kick of his in the third minute, but Messi quickly reversed the scoreline in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Luis Suarez drew a foul at the edge of the box and Messi placed his free kick over the wall to equalise in the seventh minute.

Messi's second goal was impressive as he curled the ball in from 30 yards to beat Sevilla goalkeeper Beto into the top corner in the 15th minute.

Barcelona added a third goal just before half-time when Suarez broke away free on goal but had his shot saved by Beto. Suarez then collected the ball and crossed to Rafinha, who started in place of Neymar, to tap home.

Suarez found the net himself after being played through by Sergio Busquets in the 52nd minute to make it 4-1 but Sevilla were not finished.

Jose Antonio Reyes responded five minutes later by redirecting a Vitolo cross, and Kevin Gameiro closed the deficit to one with a penalty in the 72nd minute after Jeremy Mathieu hauled down Vitolo.

Sevilla kept pushing and found the equaliser nine minutes from time when Ciro Immobile slipped a low cross through Barcelona's defence for Yevhen Konoplyanka to score.

Pedro's winner came as Messi was lining up another free kick, which initially rebounded off the wall and came back to Messi, whose second shot was saved by Beto, only for Pedro to put the ball in the roof of the net.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Athletic Bilbao 4 - 0 Barcelona : Barcelona stunned 4-0 by Athletic Bilbao in first leg of Super Cup

1st Leg

Barcelona's hopes of claiming a record-equalling six trophies in 2015 look to be in tatters after they were thrashed 4-0 by brilliant Athletic Bilbao in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup, with Aritz Aduriz netting a hat trick.

Barca made it four trophies from four on Tuesday night when they beat Sevilla 5-4 after extra time to win a thrilling UEFA Super Cup, but they were brought crashing back to earth at San Mames in stunning style on Friday night.

Mikel San Jose's breathtaking goal from inside the centre circle gave Athletic a half-time lead and then Aduriz scored three times in 15 second-half minutes to all but settle the Supercopa ahead of Monday's return leg at the Camp Nou.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Barcelona 1 - 1 Athletic Bilbao : Athletic Bilbao manage draw at Barcelona to win Spanish Super Cup

2nd Leg (Athletic Bilbao wins 5-1 on agg)

Barcelona's hopes for a remarkable comeback were not to be as Athletic Bilbao managed a 1-1 draw to win the Spanish Super Cup 5-1 on aggregate.

Athletic's shock 4-0 win in Friday's first leg had given the Basque club a comfortable advantage, but Luis Enrique's men remained confident they could turn it around at Camp Nou on Monday.

But despite Lionel Messi's opening goal before half-time, a red card to Gerard Pique put the comeback in doubt and Aritz Aduriz's close-range finish sealed a famous result for Athletic.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Athletic Bilbao 0 - 1 Barcelona : Messi misses penalty as Barcelona edge past Athletic Bilbao

Barcelona began their Primera Division title defence with a 1-0 victory at Athletic Bilbao -- despite Lionel Messi missing a first-half penalty.

The fixture was the third in succession between the two teams after Athletic had embarrassed Barca 5-1 on aggregate in the Spanish Super Cup.

However, unlike nine days ago, when the hosts won 4-0 at San Mames, reigning Spanish and European champions Barca were far less erratic and, crucially, through Luis Suarez, scored the game's only goal.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Barcelona 1 - 0 Malaga : Thomas Vermaelen scores as Barcelona win in Neymar's return

Thomas Vermaelen was the unlikely hero as Barcelona laboured to a 1-0 win over Malaga to maintain their 100 percent start to the Primera Division season.

The former Arsenal defender smashed in the only goal of the game with 17 minutes remaining at the Camp Nou, just when Barca looked set to draw a blank against Javi Gracia's dogged outfit for the third successive game.

Cameroonian goalkeeper Carlos Kameni made a string of vital saves in the second half but could only palm Luis Suarez's cross from the left towards the penalty spot, where Vermaelan was waiting to lash into the empty net and score his first goal for the Catalan club in only his third league start since joining over a year ago.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Atletico Madrid 1 - 2 Barcelona : Lionel Messi completes Barcelona comeback

Lionel Messi came off the substitutes' bench for Barcelona to secure a 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid in La Liga.

Messi, who celebrated the birth of his second son on Friday, did not start the game but replaced Ivan Rakitic on the hour mark and proved the difference.

Fernando Torres was presented with a chance to open the scoring for Atletico Madrid early in the first half but the former Chelsea striker sliced his left-footed shot wide.

Luis Suarez then went close for the visitors as his shot from close range hit the crossbar but the first half at the Vicente Calderon remained goalless.

Torres did break the deadlock six minutes into the second half as he raced on to Tiago's through ball before guiding the ball home in off the foot of the post.

But Barcelona hit back swiftly when Neymar curled in a fantastic free kick that left goalkeeper Jan Oblak with no chance.

And the comeback was complete as Messi latched on to Suarez's wonderful lay-off before dinking into the net.

The victory for Luis Enrique's Barcelona maintained their 100 percent start to the campaign.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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AS Roma 1 - 1 Barcelona : Alessandro Florenzi scores wonder goal as Roma and Barcelona draw

Champions League holders Barcelona saw their perfect start to the season ended after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Roma at the Stadio Olimpico in Wednesday's Group E opener.

Luis Suarez gave Barca a 21st-minute lead but Roma equalised eight minutes later with a wonder goal from defender Alessandro Florenzi.

Florenzi drilled a right-footed shot from just over the halfway line and the ball cannoned into the back of the net off a post.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Barcelona 4 - 1 Levante : Lionel Messi scores twice as Barcelona ease past Levante

Barcelona kept their place at the top of the Primera Division and maintained their 100 percent start to the season by beating Levante 4-1 at the Nou Camp.

The visitors managed to keep the Spanish champions at bay until half-time, but Marc Bartra soon broke the deadlock before a double from Lionel Messi and a goal from Neymar increased Barca's advantage, while Victor Casadesus netted a consolation for Levante.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Celta Vigo 4 - 1 Barcelona : Iago Aspas nets brace as Celta Vigo hand Barcelona first La Liga loss

Celta Vigo handed Barcelona their first loss of the La Liga campaign and leapfrogged them in the table with an emphatic 4-1 defeat of the defending champs at the Estadio Balaidos on Wednesday.

The result was Barcelona's worst La Liga defeat in 273 games, since May 7, 2008 at Real Madrid. It also snapped Barca's 18-game La Liga unbeaten streak.

Former Liverpool striker Iago Aspas struck twice as unbeaten Celta Vigo shattered Barcelona's 100 percent start.

Ex-Barca youngster Nolito also continued his fine start to the season with a stunning opener and substitute John Guidetti struck for rampant Celta after Neymar had claimed a consolation.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Barcelona 2 - 1 Las Palmas : Lionel Messi injured as Barcelona beat Las Palmas with Suarez brace

An injury to Lionel Messi overshadowed Barcelona's 2-1 win over Las Palmas as the Argentina forward was ruled out for up to eight weeks with a torn ligament in his knee.

Luis Suarez's double was enough for Barca to pick up the win, but they were more concerned with the well-being of their inspirational frontman, who lasted only nine minutes of the match before suffering the injury in a clash with Pedro Bigas.

While Messi was taken to hospital for tests, Suarez struck twice and might have had a hat-trick before Jonathan Viera's deflected goal late on set up a nervy finish.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Barcelona 2 - 1 Bayer Leverkusen : Luis Suarez rallies Barcelona to win

Late goals from Sergi Roberto and Luis Suarez saved Barcelona's blushes and earned them a valuable win over visitors Bayer Leverkusen in Champions League Group E.

Kyriakos Papadopoulos fired the Germans ahead with a 22nd minute header and the hosts struggled to assert their authority until two goals in 92 seconds finally turned the tide inside the final 10 minutes.

Sergi followed up an initial effort from substitute El Haddani Munir to bundle Barcelona level in the in the 80th minute and then Munir turned provider again to set up Suarez who lashed a right-foot shot into the roof of the net.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Sevilla 2 - 1 Barcelona : Barcelona beaten at Sevilla as they feel the absence of Lionel Messi

Barcelona lost their first Primera Division match since Lionel Messi's injury as they slipped to a 2-1 defeat to Sevilla in a riveting game at the Sanchez Pizjuan.

Michael Krohn-Delhi gave the hosts the lead after 52 minutes and Vicente Iborra increased the advantage six minutes later, capitalising on awful defending from the Catalans.

Neymar pulled one back for Luis Enrique's side but, despite dominating the latter stages and hitting the woodwork three times over the course of the game, the champions could not find an equaliser and fell to a second straight away defeat.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Barcelona 5 - 2 Rayo Vallecano : Neymar finds the net four times

Neymar rose to the challenge of stepping into the absent Lionel Messi's boots by scoring four times as Barcelona overcame Rayo Vallecano 5-2 at the Nou Camp.

The visitors took a shock lead on 14 minutes through Javi Guerra, but Neymar turned the game on its head by winning and scoring two penalties before half-time.

Rayo squandered a couple of chances to level in the second half and were made to pay by the Brazilian, who scored twice more in the space of a minute and then laid on a classy cross for Luis Suarez to score the fifth. Rayo's Jozabed hit a late consolation goal but it was very much Neymar's night.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)