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Ronaldinho is Barca hat-trick hero
BARCELONA, Spain -- Brazilian forward Ronaldinho scored a brilliant hat-trick as Barcelona crushed Slovak side Puchov 8-0 in their UEFA Cup first round, second leg tie at the Nou Camp. The Catalans were in unstoppable form against the unfancied Slovaks, who had shocked them with a 1-1 draw in the first leg. And Argentine striker Javier Saviola and midfielder Luis Enrique both scored twice as Barca notched their first home win of the season. Ronaldinho got them off to a perfect start when he reacted sharply to hook the ball over Puchov keeper Tomas Bernady and into the net on seven minutes after he had pounced on a rebound following a Saviola shot. The Brazilian international, in the starting line-up after making an unexpectedly rapid recovery from a leg strain sustained last week, proceeded to run the show and struck again 13 minutes later. Picking up another rebound, this time from a Thiago Motta shot, he drilled in at the near post with a spectacular half-volley from the edge of the area. Brazilian midfielder Thiago Motta then got on the scoresheet with a curling free kick from the edge of the area. World Cup winner Ronaldinho, who joined Barca for around 30 million euros ($35.05 million) from PSG St Germain in the close season, completed his hat-trick with the best goal of the night. Beginning his run 10 meters inside the Puchov half, he threaded the ball through the legs of one defender, skipped past another, and then sent a cheeky chip over the bemused Bernady. He still had time to supply Luis Enrique with a scoring pass for Barcelona's fifth before he went off midway through the second half. The scoring continued in his absence, Saviola getting in on the act in the 73rd minute and Luis Enrique completing his double two minutes later when he bundled in from close range. Saviola compounded Puchov's misery when he wrapped up with his side's eighth goal after a brilliant overhead pass from the impressive Gerard. * Substitute Miguel Angel "Mista" Ferrer netted in the 71st minute as Valencia defeated AIK Solna 1-0 in the second leg of their first round match and advanced on a 2-0 aggregate score.
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