La Liga - Barcelona go eight clear

Eurosport - Sun, 14 Dec 12:24:00 2008

Barcelona extended their lead at the top of La Liga to eight points after late goals from Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi gave them a 2-0 home win over Real Madrid in Juande Ramos's first game as manager.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 La Liga Barcelona Barcelona-Real Madrid Messi - 0

Barcelona are now eight points clear of Valencia at the top of the table. Real though are 12 points behind the leaders in fifth and could slip down to seventh if results go against them on Sunday.

Cameroon striker Eto'o poked the ball over the line after Carles Puyol headed a corner back across goal on 83 minutes.

Messi sealed the win in injury-time after Madrid over-committed men forward and Thierry Henry surged down the right before picking out his strike partner, who lofted the ball deftly over Iker Casillas and beyond the desperate lunge of Fabio Cannavaro.

The result further diminished Madrid's hopes of launching a title bid and proved that, for all their pretty football, Pep Guardiola's side have the mental strength to grind out wins in big matches.

Until the first goal, Madrid keeper Iker Casillas had turned in a man-of-the-match performance - including a penalty save from Eto'o - as Madrid's oft-criticised defence put their bodies on the line in a desperate attempt to kick-start their floundering domestic season.

Barcelona started the game at a frantic pace and the pre-match nine-point difference between the sides was clear as Real Madrid found themselves launching a rearguard action from the whistle.

Messi was the subject of rough treatment with Michel Salgado, Royston Drenthe and Sergio Ramos all kicking the Argentina star to make their destructive intentions clear.

That did not stop the diminutive playmaker from giving Madrid a torrid time. In the fifth minute he escaped from Cannavaro and Sergio Ramos to drill a low shot across goal that Iker Casillas did well to parry one-handed.

Henry went close with a drive into the side netting and Real had Cannavaro to thank when he manfully blocked Messi after a slick one-two with Eto'o.

All this was before the eighth minute and while Barca's tempo did slow they still had the lion's share of possession.

Yaya Toure and Eric Abidal were almost unlikely scorers for Los Cules but they were denied by desperate defending from the visitors, while Henry saw another shot blocked.

Despite Barca's dominance, Real actually created two of the best chances of the opening 45 minutes.

Before he was replaced for clearly not being fully-fit after injury, a Wesley Sneijder shot forced Victor Valdes to tip the ball onto the bar, while Drenthe should have scored when he raced clear of Daniel Alves but was denied by a brave Valdes save.

Referee Luis Medina Cantalejo lost patience with Madrid's physical approach and there was a flurry of yellow cards shown towards the end of the first half.

The first part of Madrid's job was done though, with Barca frustrated at half-time.

The second period started in a similar fashion. Barcelona controlled possession and created chance after chance but twice Eto'o could not capitalise on Messi's delivery.

Madrid were still dangerous on the break, with Gonzalo Higuain denied by a last-ditch tackle from Carles Puyol after an incisive through-ball by Fernando Gago.

Their game-plan also began to take its toll on the Catalan side. As the game progressed Barca misplaced passes, went for extended spells without instigating a passing move and failed to create chances with the same frequency.

Their frustration spilled over and Rafael Marquez was fortunate not to pick up a second yellow card when he slid late into Raul.

But 20 minutes into the second half, Los Cules found their rhythm again. Suddenly Real were not getting a sniff as their hosts pummelled the Madrid penalty area and were only denied by some phenomenal goalkeeping.

Casillas is the best keeper in Spain and arguably the top shot-stopper in the world and he pulled off a superb 70th-minute penalty save from Eto'o after Salgado brought down Sergio Busquets.

Two minutes later he made a quite incredible double stop from Eto'o and Messi, who thought he had an open goal after his team-mate's low shot was kept out by the Spain keeper.

But it was not to be for Juande Ramos and Real's defence were caught ball-watching when Puyol rose to head the ball into the six-yard box.

Eto'o got a faint touch on the ball, which seemed to cross the line in slow motion as young substitute Miguel Palanca failed to clear the ball.

Real were broken and, as they send men forward in a desperate attempt to grab an equaliser, they afforded Henry the freedom of the right wing to pick out Messi, who had the last laugh in the face of his earlier aggressors.

Reda Maher / Eurosport

Comment 53 - 72 of 72

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. Ya ya we know barsa is the team to beat.... FOR NOW!!!­ You just wait until new year and we'll see what­ happens

    From Midi, on Mon 29 Dec 3:52PM

  2. To rabih_zebian
    sorry to use the word LIAR ... but you­ are.... real madrid without 9 starters??!!! ......real­ madrid at least had 6 starters­ (CASI.CANAV.RAMO.GAGO.HEIG.RAUL)..and I think they were­ lucky to have that excuse to justify their dreadful­ play... 10 players defending the whole match. and when­ they dared to attack after conceding the goal they­ could not hold for 8 min. before they conceded the­ second ...real madrid really was lucky not to have­ started with all starters because they would have lost­ at least by 5 goals difference. Be grateful and very­ happy it was 2-0.

    From raed i, on Tue 16 Dec 10:31AM

  3. To rabih_zebian
    sorry to use the word LAYER... but you­ are.... real madrid without 9 starters??!!! ......real­ madrid at least had 6 starters­ (CASI.CANAV.RAMO.GAGO.HEIG.RAUL)..and I think they were­ lucky to have that excuse to justify their dreadful­ play... 10 players defending the whole match. and when­ they dared to attack after conceding the goal they­ could not hold for 8 min. before they conceded the­ second ...real madrid really was lucky not to have­ started with all starters because they would have lost­ at least by 5 goals difference. Be grateful and very­ happy it was 2-0.

    From raed i, on Tue 16 Dec 10:27AM

  4. For the comment before this; why can't you fans of­ Madrid just accept that you lost! no excuses!......­ That's why teams should just play the best they can­ ... stop blaming anyone or anything... just win.. or­ accept losing!

    From marilacson, on Mon 15 Dec 8:51AM

  5. Finally Barca won a game after 4 years.
    i would like to­ see Barca without 9 starters... they would be in the­ bottom of la liga.
    they only could win when most of the­ team is out.
    Hala Madrid

    From Rabih, on Mon 15 Dec 7:51AM

  6. Any Die hard RM fans here, PLEASE i advice you to look­ at the stats of the Game.. Barcelona won in EVERY­ dimention mentionalble, except for Number of fouls­ committed, or yellow cards received.. LOL

    look at ball­ possession, Barca was Over 65% in control.. If RM was­ any good, They would have come to Camp Nou to win.. But­ The cowards stayed in defense with little or no attack­ at all.. If you are really good, you wont play us like­ a bottom league team, Worst of all, U wont Shamelessly­ try to kick Messi around.. Messi is a Barca player, and­ not a Ball.. At the end, Who was laughing? hahaha... U­ tried to stop Messi by all means, And.. U FAILED­ misserably. Viva good football, Viva bara.

    From TITUS N, on Mon 15 Dec 12:48AM

  7. btw to saeed_wazza90,comment on #62, u should look back­ when these 2 player head to head, CR is never near­ Messi. the only thing make him win title is bcoz man u­ win the UCL last season with playing really, i said­ REALLY ugly defensive football against Barca in semi,­ not even like any team in the premier league, more like­ a -/ve italian..

    From carlamms, on Mon 15 Dec 12:44AM

  8. Real should lower thier target for the season, they­ should focus on finishing top 4.. look at sevilla,­ valencia n villareal.. all are resurging..! n not to­ forget getafe, eventhough they are not bidding for the­ title, they are a very difficult team to beat..

    From carlamms, on Mon 15 Dec 12:38AM

  9. First of all the president and the sports director ­ must give the coach a free hand to operate...A player­ like Raul and Salgaldo has nothing to give more in that­ team,Salgaldo is time to sign in AC.milan...Madrid need­ young and strong players...I advise to look around in­ the french league,there are many in form players over­ there...Benzema(lyon),Ben alfar(marseile),mohamed­ zidan(hamburg)Kanoute and jesus­ navas(sevilla)Uche(getafe)zokora and­ lennon(tottenham..h.)­ Milito(Genoa)Schweinsteiger(munich)barry(aston­ villa)Capdevilla(villareal) and many more...is time to­ stop racist purchase..Look at Barca,they are mixed with­ different continent,why can't they be the­ best?....Stop firing your coaches and focus on the main­ problem.. Soccer Analizer 4 life!

    From FlirtiStarr6699, on Sun 14 Dec 7:14PM

  10. Barca on the lead, and Real has little chance or not at­ all but any thing can happens in football, V V S are­ lethal teams too.

    From slinn c, on Sun 14 Dec 2:45PM

  11. stteto are u kidding me.that was the worst display from­ messi ive ever seen.he was absolute rubbish.he was the­ most disappointing player in the game.if he had played­ well like he always does it could have been a larger­ scoreline.
    BTW messis great bt no way near ronaldos­ form last season

    From saeed, on Sun 14 Dec 2:22PM

  12. this season,barca is the team to beat because we are­ always on top,up barca...mikel_cash...

    From Ikuomola, on Sun 14 Dec 2:21PM

  13. barca all the way. hate it or love it we are on top.­ and messi is better than c. ronaldo

    From stetto3, on Sun 14 Dec 1:46PM

  14. just what i predictedand wanted happened.Barca is no­ 1.i am happy.

    From tiapo s, on Sun 14 Dec 1:28PM

  15. jramos coaches BARCELONA!!!!!!!!!!!!! THEIR NEVER WILL­ WIN THE LA LIGA WITH HIM IN­ CHARGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From boatengm, on Sun 14 Dec 11:57AM

  16. Moraru Andrei - if you really believe messi is better­ than C Ronaldo then you are really are a complete @#$%,­ (just like your name)

    From Mike S, on Sun 14 Dec 11:48AM

  17. "ted: 2. It's more obvious than ever that­ Messi is better than C.Ronaldo. You're just in love­ with that egocentrical double sommersault-half pike­ diving primadona of yours."

    that really made my­ day, GENIUS!! :)) :))(the 2nd part of course =))­ )...Barca rules, if some guys needed any more proof,­ here it was.

    From Moraru Andrei, on Sun 14 Dec 11:38AM

  18. Despite the 12 points and Barca this Barca that or­ Messi this Messi that,
    those who have wathched last­ night's match must have seen that there wasn't­ that much difference between the two teams. In fact­ Real could have won and frustrated the 100.000 fans.­ Barca was taking too many chances in defence. Real­ showed real character the way they fought. Apart from­ the deliberate kicking !

    George

    From Oya Atilla Akdoğan, on Sun 14 Dec 11:11AM

  19. I can see Real Madrid sack Ramos at the end or even­ sometime before the season ends.

    From Ian, on Sun 14 Dec 10:37AM

  20. screw barca... damn shame real lost, iker had a great­ game

    From pferdaoux, on Sun 14 Dec 10:29AM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account