Official:Fletcher signs for ALBION

<div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><img src="http://mobile.wba.co.uk/cms_images/news/fletcher-a412-2245020_478x359.jpg" style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;" /></div><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-size: 17px; line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><a name="more"></a>ALBION have completed the signing of Scotland captain Darren Fletcher from Manchester United on a free transfer.</span></div><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444;">The 31-year-old midfielder has signed a two-and-a-half-year-deal, with a one-year option in the club's favour, after completing a medical at the training ground this evening.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444;">He will wear the No.24 shirt.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444;">Fletcher said: "It feels great. This is a fantastic new challenge for me in my career.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444;">"I've spent my career at Manchester United and it's all I've ever known. </span></span></div><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444;">"But I felt it was the right time to move and I'm not sentimental about doing that - I have great memories obviously, but I'm now a West Bromwich Albion player and I cannot wait to get going.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444;">"Everyone involved in making the deal happen has been fantastic. And a big reason I'm here is because of the head coach.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444;">"He has impressed me from the first minute. When someone shows how much they want you it's a great feeling."</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444;">For fans wondering what to expect from their new signing, Fletcher added: "I'm a midfielder who is capable of playing wherever needed - whether it's box-to-box, or sitting in deep, getting on the ball, tackling, breaking up play, etc.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444;">"I know a few of the lads too. Mozza, who I know well from Scotland duty, has been pestering me for the last week, texting me constantly. He was giving me glowing references about how much I would love it here."</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444;">Fletcher, who was named vice-captain of United ahead of the 2014/15 season, made his debut for the club in 2003 against Basel, and during the following season, he became Scotland’s youngest ever captain at the age of 20.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white;">Wba.co.uk</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 22.1000003814697px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span></div></div>

Official:Fletcher signs for ALBION

ALBION have completed the signing of Scotland captain Darren Fletcher from Manchester United on a free transfer. The 31-year-old midfielder ...

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Official: Wolfsburg signs Schurrle from Chelsea

<div class="leading" style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: RobotoMedium, Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.4em; font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: 0.6em; margin-top: 0.6em;"></div><div style="float: left; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 22px; max-width: 100%; width: 628px;"><a href="http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i/?img=/media/motion/ESPNi/2015/0202/int_150202_INET_Janusz_on_Schurrle/int_150202_INET_Janusz_on_Schurrle.jpg&w=738&site=espnfc" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i/?img=/media/motion/ESPNi/2015/0202/int_150202_INET_Janusz_on_Schurrle/int_150202_INET_Janusz_on_Schurrle.jpg&w=738&site=espnfc" style="font-size: 16px;" /></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7841646797722552770" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7841646797722552770" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><b></b><br /><h2><b>Wolfsburg - VfL Wolfsburg have completed the signing of 2014 World Cup winner Andre Schürrle from English Premier League giants Chelsea FC.<a name="more"></a></b></h2></div><div style="float: left; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 22px; max-width: 100%; width: 628px;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7841646797722552770" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7841646797722552770" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>The 24-year-old former Bayer 04 Leverkusen forward, who was part of Joachim Löw's squad at last summer's tournament in Brazil, put pen to paper on a four-and-a-half year contract on Monday afternoon, tying him to the club until June 2019.</div><h2 class="afterP" style="clear: both; font-family: arial, verdana; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1em; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7841646797722552770" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7841646797722552770" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></h2><div style="float: left; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 22px; max-width: 100%; width: 628px;"><br />Schürrle started his career at 1. FSV Mainz 05 and made his Bundesliga debut for the Carnival Club against future employers Leverkusen on the opening day of the 2009/10 campaign. He joined <i>die Werkself</i> in 2011, going on to score 18 goals in 65 league appearances for the BayArena club before signing for Jose Mourinho's Chelsea in June 2013. Despite netting 14 times in 65 outings for the west London side, Schürrle has struggled to nail down a first-team berth at Stamford Bridge.<br /><br />After making his Germany debut in a friendly against Sweden in 2010, Schürrle has gone on to score 17 goals in 45 international appearances, including the seventh in <i>die Nationalmannschaft</i>'s 7-1 humbling of Brazil in the 2014 World Cup semi-final. He also set up Mario Götze's 113th-minute winner in the final against Argentina at Rio de Janeiro's Estadio de Maracana.<br /><br />Schürrle becomes Dieter Hecking's <a class="normalred" href="http://www.bundesliga.com/en/liga/news/2014/0000309986.php" style="color: #c80000; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="new"><b>third signing</b></a> this winter, following the acquisitions of China international Xizhe Zhang and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim keeper Koen Casteels.</div>

Official: Wolfsburg signs Schurrle from Chelsea

Wolfsburg - VfL Wolfsburg have completed the signing of 2014 World Cup winner Andre Schürrle from English Premier League giants Chelsea FC. ...

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Official: Chelsea signs Cuadrado from Fiorentina

<img alt="Juan Cuadrado" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/80739000/jpg/_80739845_cuadrado.jpg" /><br /><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Syntax, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span class="summary-text" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #595959; font-size: 19px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 15px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"></span><br /><h2><span class="summary-text" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #595959; font-size: 19px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 15px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Juan Cuadrado from Fiorentina.</span></h2></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Syntax, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;">The 26-year-old has joined on a four-and-a-half-year contract.</div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Syntax, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;">Upon signing, he said: ‘I am very happy and thankful for this opportunity I’ve been given.  This is a great club and honestly it is like a dream to join the Chelsea family and to know that the manager believes in me. I’m happy.’</div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Syntax, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;">The attacking midfielder arrives at Stamford Bridge after five-and-a-half years in Italy, first with Udinese before switching to Fiorentina in 2012 after a loan spell at Lecce.</div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Syntax, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;">Cuadrado plays predominantly behind a striker, but he is also comfortable on either flank. Pacy and agile, he is a purposeful attacking threat with an eye for the spectacular.</div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Syntax, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">The Colombian, who has 37 international caps and five goals, was a key figure in his country’s impressive 2014 World Cup campaign. He scored in a group-stage victory against Japan before ending the tournament at the quarter-final stage with four assists, a record equalled only by World Cup winner Toni Kroos.</div>

Official: Chelsea signs Cuadrado from Fiorentina

Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Juan Cuadrado from Fiorentina. The 26-year-old has joined on a four-and-a-half...

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Harry Kane signs new Tottenham deal

<img alt="harry-kane-555652" src="http://soccerblitz.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/harry-kane-555652.jpg" /><br /><h2 style="-webkit-backface-visibility: hidden; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Oswald, sans-serif; font-size: 28px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 620px;">Harry Kane has comitted his future to Tottenham by signing a new five-and-a-half-year deal at the club According to reports from express.</h2><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kane has been in exceptional form for the White Hart Lane outfit this term – scoring 20 goals in all competitions – and has now seen that rewarded with a bumper new deal.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The deal will see Kane receive a substantial pay-rise to around £30,000-a-week.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A statement on Tottenham’s website read: “The Club is delighted to announce that Harry Kane has signed a new five-and-a-half-year contract which runs until 2020.”</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Meanwhile, Kane took to Twitter to say: “Very happy to have signed my new contract at Spurs! Excited for the future ahead! Thank you for all your messages! #COYS”<br />Speaking to Tottenham’s website he added: “It’s been a great six months.</div><div class="wpInsert wpInsertInPostAd wpInsertMiddle" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23px; margin: 5px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-9189380050186452" data-ad-slot="2562806521" style="border: 0px; display: inline-block; height: 280px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 336px;"></ins></div><blockquote style="background-color: white; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 0px 1px; color: #777777; font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: italic; line-height: 22px; margin: 10px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“I’ve been really pleased with how things have gone. This (contract) is another stepping stone and hopefully now I’ll push on again from this and get even better.</strong></div><div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“I’m only 21 and I’ve got a lot of football ahead of me. I’ll keep my feet on the ground and keep working hard.</strong></div><div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“I’ve been at Spurs since age 11 & always loved the club. I’ve been here 10 years & hopefully there are more good times to come.”</strong></div></blockquote>

Harry Kane signs new Tottenham deal

Harry Kane has comitted his future to Tottenham by signing a new five-and-a-half-year deal at the club According to reports from express. Ka...

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Juventus sign Matri on loan from AC Milan

<img src="http://static.goal.com/302600/302681_heroa.jpg" /><br />Juventus<span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;"> </span><br /><a name="more"></a>have signed Alessandro Matri<span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;"> from </span>AC Milan<span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;"> on loan until the end of the season, with the striker returning to Turin for a second spell.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;">The Bianconeri were in the market for a replacement for Sebastian Giovinco, who left the club on Monday in order to join Toronto FC.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;">Juventus' three main targets had been Pablo Osvaldo, Simone Zaza and Matri, and they have confirmed that they have opted for the latter - who had been on loan at Genoa.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;">"Alessandro Matri has today returned to Juventus after agreeing terms on a loan switch from Genoa until 30 June 2015," a statement on the club's official website read.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;">Matri scored 29 goals in 83 games for the Old Lady between 2010 and 2013, winning two Scudetti. He then transferred to his youth team club Milan for €11 million, but endured a miserable time at San Siro.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" />

Juventus sign Matri on loan from AC Milan

Juventus   have signed Alessandro Matri  from  AC Milan  on loan until the end of the season, with the striker returning to Turin for a seco...

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Transfer deadline deal Huth Signs Leicester City Loan Deal

<div class="news_subheading" style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.8em; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.1em;"><img src="http://mobile.lcfc.com/cms_images/player/huth-signing-4-3466-2242551_478x359.jpg" style="background-color: transparent;" /></div><div class="news_subheading" style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.8em; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.1em;">L</div><a name="more"></a>eicester City have moved to bolster their defensive options with the addition of centre-back Robert Huth on loan from Stoke City until the end of the 2014/15 Barclays Premier League season.<br /><div class="news_normal" style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.7em; line-height: 1.1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">The 30-year-old German will wear squad no.14 and adds a wealth of Premier League experience to Nigel Pearson’s defensive line as they look to mount a successful bid for survival.<br /><br />With power, pedigree and presence, the 6ft 3ins defender becomes City’s third signing of the transfer window after striker Andrej Kramarić and former Middlesbrough team-mate Mark Schwarzer, and will hope to re-establish his reputation as one of the most formidable defenders in the league.<br /><br />In a career that began at Chelsea in 2002, Huth’s considerable talents have seen him secure two Premier League titles during Jose Mourinho's first spell at Stamford Bridge, as well as representing his country on 19 occasions, including during the 2006 World Cup in Germany.<br /><br />Huth made his Chelsea bow at the age of 17 under Claudio Ranieri, and despite initially finding his playing time limited as he battled it out with the likes of John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho for a place in the starting XI, he did enough to earn a move to Middlesbrough for a reported fee of £6 million in 2006.<br /><br />During Huth’s first two seasons at the Riverside Stadium, injuries restricted his playing time, but he bounced back with some typically commanding and impressive performances in 2008/09.<br /><br />Huth earned a number of Premier League admirers and his services were secured in August 2009 by Stoke, where he went on to establish himself as an important part of the team as well as being popular on the terraces. Huth’s partnership with Stoke skipper Ryan Shawcross at the heart of the Potters’ defence has proved to be a solid foundation for success at the Britannia Stadium in recent seasons – becoming one of the most feared defensive pairings in the league.<br /><br />In total Huth has almost 250 career appearances in the Premier League to his name, and will hope to add to that total with the Foxes between now the end of May.<br /><br />He will serve the second game of a two-match suspension when City host Crystal Palace at King Power Stadium on Saturday and will be available for selection for the first time next Tuesday when the Foxes travel to Arsenal.</span></div>

Transfer deadline deal Huth Signs Leicester City Loan Deal

L eicester City have moved to bolster their defensive options with the addition of centre-back Robert Huth on loan from Stoke City until the...

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FC Barcelona v Villarreal report

<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 1.3rem; margin-bottom: 15px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 1.3rem; margin-bottom: 15px;"><img src="http://media3.fcbarcelona.com/media/asset_publics/resources/000/143/709/size_640x360/pic_2015-02-01_FCBvsVILLARREAL_47.v1422829244.JPG" style="background-color: transparent;" /></div><a name="more"></a><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Barça bounce back from a pair of one-goal deficits </span><br /><br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;" /><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 1.3rem; margin-bottom: 15px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Neymar strikes just before the half; Rafinha and Messi finish the job</span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> i</span>n what was billed as a major test for two teams that rode into Camp Nou riding a wave of impressive results, it was <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">FC Barcelona</strong>who had more answers as they came back twice from a goal down to subdue Villarreal and extend their winning streak to eight games in all competitions, their fourth straight in La Liga.</div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 1.3rem; margin-bottom: 15px;">The first quarter hour saw Barça monopolise possession, with the Yellow Submarine barely getting out of their own end in spite of their best intentions to string together enough passes to mount an attack. <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Luís Suárez</strong> had Barça’s first three scoring chances, although only one of them registered a shot on goal, as Suárez had a shot from point-blank range turned away by Villarreal keeper Asenjo on 13 minutes. Suárez had another chance in the 20th as his attempted bicycle kick was just off target.</div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 1.3rem; margin-bottom: 15px;">As the half hour mark arrived, Villarreal raced out on a counterattack and, after a moment of indecision, Mario one-timed from outside the area, with <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Cheryshev</strong> just sticking out his foot to redirect past a diving Claudio Bravo and give Villarreal a 1–0 lead.</div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 1.3rem; margin-bottom: 15px;">Barça had trouble getting more opportunities until just before the half when Messi found Rafinha in the area. <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Rafinha</strong>’s shot was saved by Asenjo but the rebound fell right to Neymar, who banged it in to draw even.</div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 1.3rem; margin-bottom: 15px;">Barça wanted to ride that energy back out onto the field after the break, but in the 51st minute, Villarreal went back on top after Piqué misjudged a ball near midfield. <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Giovani</strong> flew in and carried to the end line where, running out of real estate, he made a hard cut to avoid<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Bravo</strong> and find Vietto waiting alone to tap into the open goal. Camp Nou went silent.</div><h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 1.8rem; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px;"><br /></h2><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 1.3rem; margin-bottom: 15px;">But just as the silence turned to a general sense of uneasiness, Rafinha got one right back after finishing off a sequence that saw both Messi and <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Neymar</strong> denied.</div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 1.3rem; margin-bottom: 15px;">The cheering fans were just retaking their seats in the 55th when they were greeted with yet another surprise, as none other than Leo Messi put the <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">culers</em> on top 3–2 by depositing a right-footed shot from outside the penalty area. He was assisted on the play by <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Suárez</strong>.</div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 1.3rem; margin-bottom: 15px;">Finally out in front, the <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">blaugranes</em> took a deep breath and slowly wore down Villarreal in the final 30 minutes. The visitors didn’t create any more danger as they fell for the first time since November. For Barça, the win proved their resilience, a powerful trait to have, as they march toward a decisive stretch of the season.</div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 1.3rem; margin-bottom: 15px;">Fcbarcelona.com</div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 1.3rem; margin-bottom: 15px;"><br /></div>

FC Barcelona v Villarreal report

Barça bounce back from a pair of one-goal deficits  Neymar strikes just before the half; Rafinha and Messi finish the job  i n what was bill...

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