A goal from substitute Xavi three minutes from the end gave Barça three vital points which kept their title chances alive. After Madrid lost yesterday it was imperative that Barça beat Osasuna today, but their lack of ideas in front of goal threatened to end the weekend with disappointment until Xavi made the most of a rebound to beat Ricardo from 20 yards.
Frank Rijkaard played the same eleven that started the second half against Villarreal with Thuram once more filling in for the injured Puyol and Marquez continuing in the defensive midfield role. On a wet pitch after the rain in Barcelona today, Barça started the game well. In the seventh minute Messi touched the ball into Henry who backheeled it into the path of Messi, but the Argentinian’s left foot shot went over. A minute later Osasuna had their first chance when Monreal shot wide of the near post, and then Messi had a chance from a Deco corner but mishit his shot wide. On 11 minutes a decent cross field pass from Deco found Henry running in from the left but his cross/shot was beaten away by Ricardo. Then in the 12th minute Marquez sent Bojan away on the right and his low shot was well saved by Ricardo at the near post.
The chances then dried up a bit until in the 25th minute Deco interchanged passes with Henry and Deco’s cross was flicked on by Bojan to Henry but the Frenchman was given offside. A few minutes later Iniesta had a great chance after being put through by Bojan but Ricardo did enough to push the ball up and a defender headed clear as the ball headed towards the goal. From ther corner Messi crossed to Milito who headed in but once again the linesman flagged for offside.
In the 33rd minute a Deco free kick was headed goalwards by Henry buty Ricardo managed to get a hand on the ball. Barça continued to press and in the 39th minute Henry laid the ball back to Bojan whose shot was pushed around the post by Ricardo. Two minutes later Iniesta robbed the ball on the right and sent in Messi who dribbled past two before toe-poking the ball wide with his right foot. The last chance of the half came after a combination of Deco and Messi ended with Deco crossing across the face of the goal but Bojan sliding in in front of goal could not quite get a foot on it.
In the second half Barça struggled to keep the rhythm going and chances were much fewer. Despite winning corners Barça could not find a way through. On 62 minutes Rijkaard brought on Giovani in place of Henry who had looked the better of the forwards, and then Ronaldinho came on for Messi. Things only seemed to get worse and apart from a miscued shot from Deco and a shot into the side netting from Giovani, Barça created very little.
Moving into the last fifteen minutes the rain began to pour down again, Ronaldinho playing at centre forward had a weak appeal for a penalty turned down. Rijkaard played his last card putting on Xavi in place of a disappointing Deco and soon after as the crowd began to show signs of their frustration, Sola had Osasuna’s best chance with a header saved by Valdes.
In the 88th minute Barça finally found the bit of luck they needed. Giovani did well to control a cross before laying the ball back to Iniesta whose shot was blocked by a defender, Ricardo had dived for the shot and when the ball rebounded to Xavi he had the whole goal to aim at, he made no mistake with a firm side footed shot that gave Ricardo no time to recover. The ref indicated 4 minutes of injury time and with the seconds ticking away Osasuna had one last attempt with a terrific shot from Javi Garcia that fortunately went straight at Valdés.
This was by no means a comfortable win for Barça and the second half performance was quite worrying. Why Rijkaard chose to take off Henry and Messi with the score at 0-0 is beyond me. The defence were once again quite solid but the need for Samuel Eto’o was screaming out throughout the game. Deco was disappointing again and quite simply he loses the ball too frequently. Bojan and Giovani both have great futures in front of them but they still both have a lot to learn. Rijkaard decided to entrust them with the job of scoring instead of the likes of Messi and Henry. Ronaldinho at centre forward did very little and is still short of match fitness.
Today’s game was one that made the fans suffer more than would have been expected, but the three points are the most important and now the 6 point deficit with Madrid does not seem so difficult to recover. Barça will now have to find something extra next Saturday to get a win at Sevilla which will maintain the pressure on Madrid who play on Sunday.
Barça: Valdés 6.5, Zambrotta 6.5, Thuram 6.5, Milito 7, Abidal 5.5; Deco 5 (Xavi m81, 7), Marquez 7, Iniesta 7; Messi 6 (Ronaldinho m67, 5.5), Bojan 6, Henry 6.5 (Giovani m62, 6).
Goal: Xavi m88 1-0.
No Barça cards.
Attendance: 56,221
15 responses so far ↓
Titi186 // Feb 3, 2008 at 22:24
Thanks Nic again for promptly writing an article when really you should have fallen asleep watching Barca tonight
Another bit-part performance from the team - there is always some players playing well with the rest not so unfortunately we haven’t seen Barca at full flow but hopefully this absolutely VITAL and lucky 3 points will create some momentum and we can catch the scurge of Madrid.
The only thing I am worried about today was Rijkard substitutions. They bewildered me. Henry and Messi are the only senior attacking members of the squad match-fit so why on earth Rijkard took them off is a mystery in itself. Anyway 3 points, a win, no injuries and players coming soon from ACN in two weeks. Not bad wouldnt you say
FCB - Canada // Feb 3, 2008 at 22:27
I was cursing and throwing things at the TV right up until that goal ready to lose all faith in Barca. They are extremely lucky they got a good bounce served right to Xavi. Bad game though in my opinion. I don’t know what to say but I guess most people will settle for the 3 points and that will satisfy them, but I wanted more.
Something needs to be done but I don’t know what.
Nic // Feb 3, 2008 at 22:30
Congratulations to Blaugrana for predicting the 1-0 scoreline.
Siim // Feb 4, 2008 at 0:17
I feel comfortable that we have Valdes between posts and Milito at central back. These two were the main reasons why we didn’t concede a goal tonight and that wasn’t the first game where they kept us alive. Hopefully Eto’o solves the problem of scoring when he returns, it’s clear that even Messi looks like half-Messi when the Cameroonian isn’t there to partner him. Last time we scored more than one goal in a match was in 13th of January against Murcia which was Eto’o’s last game before going to Africa.
But 3 points is 3 points and I’m happy with the result. Nice shot, Xavi.
Rafael // Feb 4, 2008 at 1:21
6pts!!
jan // Feb 4, 2008 at 11:32
What an explosion of joy, could have a great effect on the team. If it wasn’t for that late goal in Bilbao, we would have been on four points. Now Sevilla and Zaragoza away, guess that’s another story…
Speeka // Feb 4, 2008 at 13:48
I think the sub’s changed the game & got us our goal.The waterlogged pitch made Messi ineffective as his game is close to the ground & Henry looked like he was gonna fall over if you blew on him when they brought him off, such has been his work rate over last 5 matches! I don’t see why this is such a mystery to some.
Youssef Gazia // Feb 4, 2008 at 15:19
One of the best goals ive ever celebrated! Good game Barca.
I just have one question, why was the staduim attendance so low?
Blaugrana // Feb 4, 2008 at 16:50
Wow two correct predictions not bad :-),do pitch conditions really matter don’t think so,rijkaard seems to crumble underpressure he makes bizzare substitutions the xavi goal WAS luck,not the result of genuis subs, eto’o’s absence is now begining to show goal drought throughout,killing teams of is what we need and he is the assasin to do it messi needs him and so do we,
Nic // Feb 4, 2008 at 18:31
On the subject of the attendance figure, I also was surprised. I then went looking for the figures for this season. Apart from the Madrid game all the attendances in December and January have been low. Maybe some fans don’t like sitting out in the winter, maybe the opponents weren’t a big attraction, or perhaps it has to do with some being disillusioned with performances. Personally I don’t go because it’s too damn expensive.
Here are this season’s attendance figures for league games:
Athletic Bilbao - 76,817
Sevilla - 77,399
Zaragoza 70,676
Atletico Madrid - 89,876
Almeria - 79,253
Betis - 73,704
Recreativo - 66,385
Deportivo - 57,579
Madrid - 98,248
Murcia - 61,443
Racing - 60,039
Osasuna - 56,221
Rafael // Feb 5, 2008 at 3:48
I cant wait for the day I come to the Nou Camp and watch a game live.
Hopefully next year.
Speeka // Feb 5, 2008 at 12:07
So a waterlogged pitch makes no difference to a predominantly passing team like Barca? Hmmm!
After watching the match for a second time, i still think the subs changed our game, a tired Osasuna defence now had to deal with both Ronaldinho & a Giovani who looked like he had a point to prove.Messi was inefective for most of 2nd half & Henry cant do it all by himself every week.
Frank Rijkaard hater’s,on here would probably consider the subs at the CL final against arse as , bizare too!
Nick // Feb 5, 2008 at 14:46
Nic,
What would you say would be a normal gate for Barça against teams like Osasuna, Racing or Murcia in a good year?
Are they really that low this season?
Thanks
Nick
Nick // Feb 5, 2008 at 14:46
Lower than other years I mean
Nic // Feb 5, 2008 at 16:58
Nick - I’ve tried to find figures for previous seasons but all I’ve come up with is this page from the end of last season - http://www.fcbarcelona.com/web/castellano/noticies/futbol/temporada06-07/06/n070611100563.html
Basically it says that attendances went up progressively from 2001/2 to 2006/7 saying that in 2001/2 attendances were averaging only 53,000! I have to say I am a bit suspicious of the figure. It also says that in 2005/6 the average was 73,199; in 2006/7 - 74,391. And so far this season I calculate the average at 72,303. Interestingly (or not) last season the first home game was Osasuna and the attendance was only 63,720, and that was the first league game after winning liga and Champions League the season before!
Of course you have to take into account the fact that many people would still have been on holiday as that game took place in August.
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