Record-breaking Barcelona crush Inter Milan 3-0

Barcelona crushed Inter Milan 3-0 at the Nou Camp on Tuesday to set a record for successive Champions League victories and move to the brink of a place in the quarter-finals.

Barca attacked with real verve from the first whistle and were rewarded as goals from Javier Saviola and Philip Cocu put them well clear inside the opening half hour.

Saviola's run and cross set up Patrick Kluivert for the third on 67 minutes and the match ended on a real low note for Inter as Alvaro Recoba was sent off for a late challenge on Carles Puyol 10 minutes from time.

Barcelona's third straight win in Group A in the second phase, and their 11th since the final round of qualifying in August, gave them a maximum nine points and took them three clear of second-placed Inter.

That run breaks the Champions League record set by AC Milan when they recorded 10 straight wins in the 1992-93 season and matched the record of 11 wins in European competition set by Ajax Amsterdam over two seasons of Cup Winners Cup action in 1987 and 1988.