First test overcome in style (0-6)
Roger Bogunyà
FC Barcelona cruised to victory in the first game of the preseason. Goals from Gudjohnsen (2), Messi, Pedrito, Bojan and Touré Yaya made it 6-0 in a game that saw all five of the new signings make their debuts.
Barça’s first fixture under Guardiola promised there could be big things ahead of us this season. Barça were clearly the better side for all 90 minutes of their game with Scottish Premier League outfit Hibernian FC. All five of the new signings got their moment, and the team played from start to finish at a frenetic pace, and made it look all too easy as such constant pressure was converted into six goals, scored by Gudjohnsen (2), Messi, Pedrito, Bojan and Touré Yaya.
Gudjohnsen scores first of preseason
Right from the start, it was evident that there was a huge gap between these two sides, and that with this being Barça’s first game after the summer, while Hibernian are already well into their stride. Barça enclosed the Scots in their area, and were already ahead before the first five minutes were up, all thanks to a powerful drive from Gudjohnsen on the edge of the area.
Total domination
Once Barça had scored, they looked even more superior. Guardiola’s side showed that this season they intent to pile the pressure on their opponents and stole ball after ball in the Hibs half. Such superiority soon led to chances for Henry and Messi, and the second goal did not take long in coming, the work of the Argentinian ace, who sent the ball into the home net thanks to a strike from a narrow angle (min 15).
0-3 and 0-4
The third and fourth goals followed soon after. Gudjohnsen took advantage of a deflected clearance from Hogg to catch the keeper out of position (min 18). That was two for the Icelander, and moments later Barça were four up, thanks to an accurately placed long-range effort from Pedro. Hibernian FC failed to cause any serious troubles for Barça in the entire first half, rarely crossing the half way line, and the first forty five minutes ended with things at 4-0.
Six changes and more goals
Guardiola changed half his team for the second half, sending on Pinto, Cáceres, Touré, Abraham, Jeffren and Bojan. Crosas had already come on late in the first half. It may have been a different eleven, but it was more of the same at Murrayfield, and FC Barcelona scored their fifth after an excellent individual run from Jeffren, followed by a cross that Bojan converted into a goal. The former B team player was one of the outstanding players of the second half, making penetrating run after penetrating run down his wing.
The sixth goal was almost a carbon copy of the fifth, with Jeffren making another storming run down the right, this time finding Touré Yaya, who scored. It was Barça all the way, but with Keita, Hleb and Eto'o together on the pitch, the seventh goal just did not want to come.
