On-song Barca go nine clear

Barcelona maintained their march towards the Spanish league title opening up a nine-point gap over Real Madrid at the summit with a 2-0 home win over Recreativo Huelva on Saturday.

Spanish international Andres Iniesta scored after just 46 seconds and then created the second goal with his 67th minute cross deflected in by the unfortunate Nasief Morris.

It was always going to be difficult for Barca to match Wednesday’s 4-0 Champions League drubbing of Bayern Munich but Pep Guardiola’s team notched up another three points to put pressure on Real.

On Sunday Real host Valladolid, who beat them 1-0 earlier in the season, as they try to close back to within six points of Barca.

Barca’s next game is the second leg of their quarter-final Champions League match against Bayern on Tuesday and it is hard to see them failing to progress with their commanding 4-0 first leg cushion.

Barca captain Carles Puyol, Xavi and Samuel Eto’o were all rested with Guardiola keen to keep his stars fresh as they go for an historic treble.

Uruguayan Martin Caceres started in defence against his old club while Bojan Krkic replaced Eto’o in attack.

After watching Barca smash four goals past Bayern in the first half Huelva, third from bottom, would have wanted to keep things tight but it didn’t work out that way.

Thierry Henry used his pace to get in behind the defence and his cut back was slotted in by Iniesta with just 46 seconds on the clock.

Barca goalkeeper Victor Valdes was then called upon to make a great save to foil Sebastian Nayar in the sixth minute.

Guardiola’s side were controlling proceedings and Lionel Messi thought he had doubled the lead minutes before the interval only for Morris to block his goalbound shot.

An own goal provided Barca with the second goal they craved as the sliding Morris diverted Iniesta’s cross into his own net. Messi missed a penalty late on but it proved irrelevant.

Barcelona’s dazzling displays have certainly cast a shadow over Real this season but their coach Juande Ramos insists their arch rivals are not the perfect team as some people are claiming.

“I am not envious of Barcelona,” said Ramos. “They are not perfect. No team is perfect and I am sure Pep Guardiola would tell you the same.

“Barca have weaknesses like every team does. They have more strengths than weaknesses and that is why they win matches so convincingly.”

Real have won 13 out of their 15 league games under Ramos but are running out of time to overhaul the leaders.

Later on Saturday Villarreal entertain Malaga trying to forget their upcoming Champions League quarter-final second leg at Arsenal on Wednesday and concentrate on qualifying for next season’s competition.

Villarreal are two points ahead of fifth-placed Valencia and need to bounce back after a shock 3-0 defeat at Almeria last time out.

“It is normal that we have our minds on the Arsenal game but we have to avoid thinking about it,” said Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini.

Villarreal and Arsenal drew 1-1 in the first leg at El Madrigal.