Barcelona boss plays down Messi/Villa spat

Manager Tito Vilanova has down played the standoff between David Villa and Lionel Messi during Barcelona’s hard-fought 2-0 victory over Granada.

The Catalan side was frustrated for large periods of the game and that appeared to boil over when Villa got engaged in a heated debate with his team-mate after Messi failed to pass him the ball.

“There is nothing to gather [from what happened between Villa and Messi],” Vilanova insisted afterwards. “Whoever plays football knows discussions are a normality, and part of the game. Such occurrences are common signs that a team is alive. Not exchanging views for betterment would honestly suggest worse.”

Messi also appeared on Barca TV to refute suggestions of a bust-up.

“Do not look for problems where there are none. Villa and I get along very well, it was just normal banter during games,” he said.

Unbeaten Barcelona needed a stunning 87th-minute goal from substitute Xavi to finally break Granada’s spirit at the Nou Camp.

Borja Gomez then put one into his own net from Messi’s cross to compound the visitors’ misery.

Last night’s match between Rayo Vallecano and Real Madrid was postponed after vandals cut through electrical wires that caused floodlight failure at the Estadio de Vallecas.

Vallecano president Raul Martin Presa told the Spanish media he suspected an act of sabotage had taken place.

“Vandals have cut the wire,” he complained.

It was later announced the match would be rescheduled for tonight (8pm).

Elsewhere, Obafemi Martins struck a dramatic late winner on his debut as Levante came from behind to defeat Real Sociedad 2-1 yesterday.

Former Inter Milan and Newcastle striker Martins only formalised his move to Levante on Friday after being allowed to leave Russian outfit Rubin Kazan, and repaid his new employers’ faith after entering the action as a half-time substitute.

Second-half goals from Simone Vergassola and Francesco Valiani saw Siena claim their first Serie A victory of the season after stunning Inter Milan at the San Siro.

Rock-bottom Siena held their own against their title-chasing opponents but it still came as a shock when captain Vergassola put the visitors ahead in the 73rd minute.

Valiani sealed the win in the second minute of time added-on for Siena, who still have a negative points tally following their part in the match-fixing scandal that rocked Italy over the summer.

Inter, meanwhile, have now lost both matches at home this season and already find themselves six points behind league leaders Juventus who were 2-0 winners over Chievo on Saturday.

In France, Marseille maintained their 100% start to the Ligue 1 season yesterday with a narrow victory over Evian at the Stade Velodrome.

Morgan Amalfitano netted the game’s only goal 12 minutes from time.