Santos 0 - 4 Barcelona: Barcelona ‘like artists’ in win over Santos in Club World Cup

LIONEL Messi struck twice as Barcelona turned on the style, in a way only they can, to overwhelm Brazil’s Santos yesterday for a second Club World Cup victory in three years.

Messi, Xavi and Cesc Fabregas scored in the first-half as the European champions collected a 13th trophy under coach Pep Guardiola, solidifying their stature as the best club team in the world.

“My players were like artists,” said Guardiola. “Whatever they envisaged in their minds they were able to do on the pitch. It was an incredible performance.”

The Catalan added: “The reason for our success is the effort of the players. We have very high-quality players and were able to display quality football. I am honoured to work with these great players.”

Last season’s Champions League winners looked unstoppable in the first- half and got on the scoresheet in the 17th minute when Messi latched on to a through-ball from Xavi, controlled it with his right foot, switched to his left and calmly chipped over Santos goalkeeper Rafael Cabral.

Xavi doubled the lead just seven minutes later when he took a pass from Dani Alves and beat Cabral with a right-foot shot from 16 yards.

Fabregas put the game beyond reach in the final minute of the first-half, picking up a rebound off a diving header by Thiago and beating Cabral from close range. But the former Arsenal player insisted the game, and the competition, had been no walk-over.

“It wasn’t easy at all,” Fabregas said. “Santos made it difficult at the beginning but we were fortunate to score quickly and then another one a few minutes later. If you say it was easy it’s because we played a very serious game and were very professional and disciplined and that made it look easy.”

The South American champions looked more lively after the break. Neymar had a good chance in the 57th minute as he broke free and found himself in the open with only Victor Valdes to beat, but was denied by the Barcelona goalkeeper.

Messi, who was named the tournament’s most valuable player, completed the scoring in the 82nd minute when he took a pass from Alves, manoeuvred around Cabral and calmly slotted home.

“I’m excited about winning this title because we wanted to become the best in the world,” said the Argentina maestro. “I’m happy about my goals but, more than that, I am happy with the performance of the team.”

The match was billed as a showdown between Messi and Santos’ 19-year-old rising star, Neymar, but it was the Barcelona player who dominated.

“Barcelona deserved to win,” Neymar said. “They are the best team in the world, with fantastic players, and we learned an important lesson tonight. We showed our potential and hopefully we will be able to come back and win this tournament.”

He added: “We are the second-best team in the world and for us that is a great reward.”

Barcelona won the Club World Cup in 2009, with Messi scoring the winner in their 2-1 victory over Argentine Club Estudiantes. The last time a team from South America won was 2006 when Internacional of Brazil beat Barcelona.

“It’s a very good day for this football club,” Fabregas said. “It was very difficult to get here because you have to win the Champions League and you have to win the semi-final game and then the final against teams that maybe we are not used to playing because they come from other countries and different parts of the world. I think we have to be very proud of what we achieved today.”

The Santos coach, Muricy Ramalho, said of the victors: “No team can live with them. They’re unbeatable at the moment. Losing 4-0 to them is no disgrace.”

Barcelona were playing without Spain striker David Villa, who broke his left shinbone in his team’s 4-0 win over Qatari side Al-Sadd in the semi-finals last Thursday.

Al-Sadd beat Kashiwa Reysol of Japan 5-3 in a penalty shoot-out to take third place.

Santos: Barbosa, Edu Dracena, Leo, Durval, Bruno Rodrigo, Danilo (Elano 31), Arouca, Henrique, Ganso (Ibson 83), Borges (Alan Kardec 78), Neymar. Subs nt used: Aranha,Bruno Aguiar, Carvalho, Vinicius,Anderson, Renteria, Para, Diogo, Vladimir.

Barcelona: Valdes, Dani Alves, Pique (Mascherano 56), Puyol (Fontas 85), Abidal, Xavi, Busquets, Iniesta, Messi, Fabregas, Thiago (Pedro 78). Subs not Used: Pinto, Sanchez, Keita, Jonathan, Maxwell, Adriano, Cuenca, Oier.