Villa joy after Madrid thrashing

30 November 2010 09:00

Barcelona David Villa admits his side could not have asked for more after stunning arch rivals Real Madrid 5-0 at the Nou Camp to take over top spot in La Liga.

Madrid came into the match unbeaten in 19 competitive games under new coach Jose Mourinho and with a one-point lead over second-placed Barca at the top of the Primera Division standings. However, the capital club were swept aside in remarkable fashion as two goals from Villa, plus further strikes by Xavi, Pedro Rodriguez and substitute Jeffren, completed a 5-0 win for Barca.

Villa, playing in his first 'Clasico' having joined Barca from Valencia in the summer, said after the game: "It's been a very important win. We looked for the victory and we got it. And the result and the manner in which we achieved it, you cannot ask for more."

The Spanish World Cup winner warned against getting too carried away with the victory, though, with only 13 rounds of the Primera Division season gone.

"We are two points clear. We need to continue working hard. We are in November. Just as before the game nothing was lost, now neither have we won anything. We have an advantage but we need to continue working."

Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso, whose side were up against it early on after falling 2-0 down after 18 minutes, was quoted as saying in AS: "We didn`t expect a game like this but there's a lot of the season left and this isn't over.

"They have made things a lot easier for themselves by scoring the first so early and then getting the second quickly.

"It`s been very difficult. We have to learn from the mistakes we've made."

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho claimed his side were still a work in progress following the defeat, and admitted they had been well beaten.

"One team played at its maximum level and the other team played very badly," he said. "It's a defeat, not a humiliation."

Source: PA