By Matt Roberts BBC Sport at Circuit de Catalunya

Marco Materazzi (right) would have been proud of Rossi (left)'s tactics

FC Barcelona fan Jorge Lorenzo showed the trademark flamboyance of his favourite football team in free practice for Sunday's Catalunya Grand Prix - before Inter Milan fan Valentino Rossi hit back like the hardest of Italian defenders.

Lorenzo was in Rome to see Barcelona's Champions League win over Manchester United, and is marking their triumph by wearing a special livery for this weekend's race.

Possession in the opening stages of the session belonged largely to Lorenzo, but with time running out, Rossi showed the seriousness of his intent by crunching in like his hero, Inter Milan and Italy defender Marco Materazzi.

After the ignominy of being beaten by his Yamaha team-mate on his home track at Mugello two weeks ago - a venue where Rossi had won for the previous seven years - it seems he is determined to make his mark on Lorenzo's turf this weekend.

At the opposite end of the time sheets from Rossi and Lorenzo, there was a new name in evidence today.

606: DEBATE Discuss the Catalunya Grand Prix

Former 125cc world champion Gabor Talmacsi is making his MotoGP debut on the second Scot Honda machine, alongside regular rider Yuki Takahashi.

Talmasci, who won the 125 title in 2007, recently split with Team Aspar after just four races in the 250cc class, but he is backed by important sponsors from his native Hungary.

With the Scot team struggling for cash and Honda not forthcoming with their support for Takahashi, Talmacsi will be the sole rider from the next round at Assen.

Meanwhile, after describing the first day at Mugello as the most demoralising of the season so far, Friday was undoubtedly the most encouraging for Nicky Hayden, who clocked the sixth fastest time of the day on his Ducati.

Just when the rumours were starting to emerge that the 2006 world champion could split with the factory following the US Grand Prix in July, a radical set-up overhaul, changing "everything but the handlegrips", has finally given Hayden genuine hope of a breakthrough.

Things are also looking up for Briton James Toseland, who was consistently in touch with the frontrunners throughout the session before slipping to tenth place.

Unfortunately the news was not so good for the Brits in the 125cc class, with Danny Webb crashing and breaking his little finger for the umpteenth time.

Championship leader Bradley Smith, who won last time at Mugello, lapped 11th fastest after struggling to adapt his set-up for the scorching conditions, which touched 50º on track.

Catalunya MotoGP free practice times:

1 V Rossi (Ita) Fiat Yamaha 1:43.038
2 J Lorenzo (Sp) Fiat Yamaha 1:43.340
3 C Stoner (Aus) Ducati 1:43.636
4 A Dovizioso (Ita) Repsol Honda 1:43.684
5 R de Puniet (Fr) LCR Honda 1:43.871
6 N Hayden (US) Ducati 1:44.152
7 L Caprisossi (Ita) Rizla Suzuki 1:44.340
8 C Edwards (US) Monster Tech 3 Yamaha 1:44.419
9 Y Takahashi (Jpn) Scot Racing Team 1:44.484
10 J Toseland (GB) Monster Tech 3 Yamaha 1:44.580
11 M Melandri (Ita) Hayate Racing 1:44.649
12 S Gibernau (Sp) Grupo Francisco Hernando Ducati 1:44.678
13 C Vermeulen (Aus) Rizla Suzuki 1:44.744
14 D Pedrosa (Spn) Repsol Honda1:45.043
15 T Elias (Spn) San Carlo Honda Gresini 1:45.101
16 A de Angelis (RSM) San Carlo Honda Gresini 1:45.126
17 M Kallio (Fin) Pramac Racing 1:45.394
18 N Canepa (Ita) Pramac Racing 1:45.454
19 G Talmacsi (Hng) Scot Racing 1:47.654

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