Barca through to FIFA World Club Cup final: Atlante 1 - 3 Barcelona

Barcelona are on the verge of the six-trophy haul, but they had to come from behind to seal their place in saturdays final of the 2009 FIFA World Club Cup in UAE. Guillermo Rojas took advantage of some hesistant defending from Barca in the 4th minute to lob the ball over Victor Valdes and nick it into the net just before the ball went out of play. Marquez and Puyol forgot the basic rule of defending and let the ball bounce after a hopeful punt upfield and it proved costly. But from that moment on it was a procession, and Barca could have easily ended up sticking six past Atlante.


Guardiola had to wait until the 34th minute before his side got back on level terms, when Sergio Busquets slotted past keeper and defender from inside the area following a Xavi corner. Judging from the celebration there is a mini-Busquets on the way. Dani Alves and Ibrahimovic both had chances to put Barca infront, before Leo Messi came on and turned the game on it's head with a sterling goal. The little genius had only been on the pitch a minute when he raced onto an exquisite pass from Ibra, took it past the goalie and squeezed a shot between defenders and into the net. Absolutely glorious.


Ten minutes later the game was over, and little Pedro entered the history books as they only player in football history to have scored in 6 different tournaments in one year (La Liga, Spanish Cup, Champions League, Spanish Supercup, European Supercup and now the FIFA World Club Cup). That's one for the pub quizes in a few decades time. The goal itself was another work of art, with Iniesta winding his way into the area, swaying one way then the other before delivering the killer pass to Pedro, who was left with the relatively simple task of firing past Vilar. So job done and Juan Sebastian Veron and his team, Estudiantes of Argentina, await in Saturdays final. I'd place a considerable amount of cash on Barca making it six out of six for 2009, and what an achievement that would be.