British sports tabloid Dailymail, report that Barca’s senior players, including the influential Carles Puyol and Xavi, have told Guardiola – a Robinho fan – that the Brazilian would hurt team spirit in the dressing room.

Robinho’s hopes of seeing out the season in the sunshine of Barcelona look like being dashed as the club’s players are urging coach Pep Guardiola not to sign him on loan from Manchester City.

City boss Roberto Mancini has apparently given the all-clear for £32.5million Robinho to spend the rest of the season somewhere else after a series of poor performances.

It has also been reported that, City would prefer Robinho to go to Barca rather than other suitors Benfica or Santos because they fancy bringing in a player on loan in return, possibly promising young striker Bojan Krkic.

The players have expressed their views in the post match press conference and everyone seemed satisfied with the victory. Here are the post match reactions of some of the players:

Alves

“I was trying to score, but I hadn’t expected it to fly in so well. In the end, my goal is just a side show, the important thing is that the team won”

Messi

“The important thing is that we won at a tough ground and we are very happy with that. Getting a goal against Valladolid really wasn’t a thing that I was worried about”

Xavi

“The first goal calmed us down. We dominated the game and played the controlled football we like. Alves is like another midfielder and he brings a lot to the team. Every centre is a danger and a player like him is a priceless asset”

“We are on a good run and we are happy with the way things are, we just have to make sure we don’t weaken now. We’ve played 3 or 4 really good games and we are not losing and we’re at the top”

Keita

“Valladolid played very well, but the three goals made it a good day for us”

“I’m available for the boss to decide where I play. If I have to play out of position that’s no problem for me. I really enjoyed playing as a defensive midfielder tonight”

Ibrahimovic

“I played better today and set up Messi’s goal, but the important thing is that the team won”

“I just have to keep on trying – the goals will come”

Valdés

“Personally, I’m very happy, I’m playing well- That’s down to the dynamic and the confidence of the team”

“It’s always important when we are leaders, regardless of the points we have”

Iniesta

“Once we had the goal, it was pretty calm, but we had suffered before that as they pressured us”

“ Ibrahimovic reads the game really well, he makes the right moves and as a midfielder it’s a guarantee having a player like him up front”.

Pep Guardiola’s Barca team have set yet another record – they’ve gone through the whole of the first half of the league season unbeaten for the first time in the club’s history and have now gone 8 months without a league defeat.

The 0-3 win in Valladolid closed a spectacular first half to the season. Unbeaten in 19 games, Barca have piled up 49 of the 57 points on offer with 15 wins and 4 draws, The last time Barca lost in the league was on May 23rd 2009, when the title was already theirs and Osasuna won 0-1 at the Nou Camp.

Previous record destroyed

The previous best start to a season at the club was under Terry Venables in the 1983/84 season, when the team went 15 games unbeaten, whilst this team’s next objective must be to beat Rinus Michels’ record of 26 games without defeat set during the 73/74 season. Last season Guardiola’s team came close, going without losing from week 2 till week 24 – 22 games on the run.

Real Sociedad hold the record

The best unbeaten record in the league is held by Real Sociedad who in 79/80 went 33 games without defeat. The Basques are also the only other team to go through the first half of a season unbeaten, something they achieved in 2002/03 when they won 12 and drew 7 of their first 19 games.

ANOTHER RECORD (beaten)!

Barça ended undefeated the Liga’s first leg for the first time in the club’s history.

The thrashing (Xavi, Alves and Messi scored) put pressure on Madrid, who yesterday slept 8 points behind the leader.

Alfons Godall will present tomorrow his candidacy for Barça’s presidency.

[Non Barça Related]

Espanyol: They expect to win playing with seven “canteranos”.

Filipe Luis suffered an horrifying injury.

HALF LEAGUE IS WON

Barça continue unstoppable on their way for the title.

They finished the Liga’s first leg unbeaten.

Valladolid 0 – 3 Barça

Guardiola’s team won easily in Valladolid with goals from Xavi, Alves and Messi and slept last night with a point difference of 8 points ahead Madrid.

In the pic: Xavi scored first with this “golazo” shooting, while he was already on movement, an Alves’s pass, who now is the team’s best assistant .

[Non Barça Related]

Elections: Godall will present tomorrow his candidacy

Madrid can not fail (Madrid – Málaga, 21h Canal +)

Espanyol: With Osvaldo playing, they are looking for the treble (third victory in a row) at home (Espanyol – Mallorca, 17h)