Champions League - Barca shocked by Rubin

Eurosport - Tue, 20 Oct 21:44:00 2009

Russian minnows Rubin Kazan pulled off a shock Champions League victory over Barcelona, winning 2-1 at Camp Nou.

Rubin Kazan players celebrate a goal against FC Barcelona during their Champions League match at the Camp Nou - 0

The visitors took the lead in the first minute through Alexander Ryazantsev, who fired home a thunderbolt from 25 yards.

But Barca hit back in the second half with Zlatan Ibrahimovic finding the back of the net with a superb finish.

The hosts continued to pile on the pressure but were hit with a sucker punch with 17 minutes remaining when Gokdeniz Karadeniz raced clear before finishing powerfully past Victor Valdes.

The game had barely settled into any sort of rhythm before the holders were shocked by a bolt from the blue by Ryazantsev.

Dani Alves was partly to blame for failing to control a ball that dropped out of the air and the visitors' midfielder nipped in to rob him before unleashing a fierce drive that nestled in the top right-hand corner of the net.

The goal silenced the home fans, but the gloom was almost eradicated four minutes later when Ibrahimovic came close to drawing the sides level. The Swede saw his effort from left hand-edge of the area palmed around the post by Rubin keeper Sergei Ryzhikov.

The forward was guilty of letting another chance go begging with nine minutes on the clock when he failed to make a good connection on a volley after being found unmarked 10 yards from goal by a delightful cross from Lionel Messi.

Further chances came and went for Barca with Ryzhikov pulling off an excellent save to deny Pedro whose goal-bound header from six yards looked destined for the bottom corner.

And the visitors were again breathing a sigh of relief midway through the half when Lasha Salukvadze made an inch-perfect tackle to deny Messi as the Argentine bore down on goal.

The second half began with similar drama to the first as Barca were quickly out of the blocks, grabbing an equaliser within two minutes of the restart.

Ibrahimovic went some way towards silencing the doubters who have questioned his performances since his summer move from Internazionale with an instinctive finish that underlined his undoubted class.

The striker chested down a ball over the top from Xavi before finishing low across the keeper into the bottom corner.

The hosts had a series of further chances to take the lead with Pedro firing in a shot from a tight angle that was well-parried by Ryzhikov and Ibrahimovic hitting a rasping free-kick an inch past the post from 30 yards.

But Rubin were refusing to lie down and almost immediately raced up the other end to grab the winner.

Playmaker Dominguez fed Karadeniz through the middle and he beat Valdes with a fierce finish from 15 yards.

The visitors had the woodwork to thank for keeping them ahead with Ibrahimovic volleying against the bar and Yaya Toure heading against the post late on but the Russians held on for a famous win.

Toby Davis / Eurosport

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  1. well! there is no law forbidding u frm dreaming ( all­ barca haters) if they lost a match to a weak team­ doesnt mean d end! and every club has their day!­ frankly rubin were lucky ! if u watch highlights u will­ realize! barca had great chances to score abt 8 of them­ n could only score on one but rubin had only 2 chances­ and they scored! its called luck nothin else! but i am­ happy that it didnt happen in elimination! now barca­ will work even harder after that loss! dont even­ consider them out! ;)

    From shahida, on Wed 21 Oct 5:22PM

  2. Chris, this is football, anything can happen! Shame­ glory-hunters like you don't realise that! I have­ been a Liverpool fan all my life and despite the club­ currently going through a bad patch and yeah without a­ title for nearly 20 years, I will always be loyal to­ Liverpool. I could imagine Manchester United not­ winning a title for 20 years, you'd probably change­ from being a United supporter to an Arsenal or Chelsea­ supporter, I wouldn't be surprised to be honest!

    From Tony, on Wed 21 Oct 4:19PM
  3. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    the defeat is the best thing that could happen to­ Barca.that is the reward for cheating on chelsea last­ season.

    From Onu, on Wed 21 Oct 12:49PM
  4. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    THE FINAL... RUBIN KAZAN V UNIREA URZICENI

    From dontpanicblink, on Wed 21 Oct 12:06PM

  5. hm.. imho the first goal would qualify as a sucker­ punch. the second was a classic­ counterattack-assist-finish. Nothing sucker about it.

    From gyulabiusz, on Wed 21 Oct 11:52AM
  6. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    HALA RUBIN!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

    From Vítor, on Wed 21 Oct 10:25AM
  7. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Welcome to Russia. Inter was just lucky that they made­ a draw. Barca was beaten on its own field!!! OMG!!!!­ Yeahh!!! So come on,take your warm clothes and welcome­ to Kazan!!! We are the MonsterBeaters (please,excuse me­ my english, if I had mistakes=)=) ) Russia is coming!!!­ Russia rules!!!!=)=)

    From jrussiarulezzz, on Wed 21 Oct 10:22AM

  8. barca for ever viva barca viva catalonia

    From Mansour, on Wed 21 Oct 9:18AM

  9. hey its the visitors who scored first not the­ hosts
    thats an error

    From batsidundu, on Wed 21 Oct 8:59AM
  10. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    if you want to wipe your a** on your rivals google­ footballtoiletpaper, you can get Celtic, Rangers, Man­ U, Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs, Sunderland, Newcastle,­ Birmingham and Villa toilet paper

    From footballtoiletpaper, on Wed 21 Oct 8:38AM

  11. Behold, a new meaning of the word "host."

    From Kita, on Wed 21 Oct 7:15AM
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    good on Rubin...barca deserves to loose all their­ matches after the way they cheated Chelsea last season­ and their coach denying it was more painful
    i hope they­ get drawn against Chelsea in the 2nd round[ that is if­ they manage to scrape out of the group...they might not­ go to uefa cup...bunch of sore loserss

    From Victor, on Wed 21 Oct 6:55AM

  13. wish that had been real madrid

    From samaita5210, on Wed 21 Oct 5:37AM
  14. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    who cares!!!...

    those scouse B.astard have lost four­ successive matches­ & they're sinking far­ quicker than the Great­ Titanic­ itself!!!!...lol......
    while we The Great Man­ Utd are­ embarking on our fouth historical straight­ league­ title!!!..hahaha..how ironic!!!...
    & they're­ all hiding like a bunch of 'creepie crawlies'­ in s.hite infested drains/sewers!!!..stamped....

    From Those Rats likes Bin dippin for free Cheeseburger, on Wed 21 Oct 5:36AM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Would you like to make friends with people from other­ country or place?
    Log on--------- T ALL Cha t ---C o m­ ----
    Then you can get help and suggestions from all­ over the world.
    While you may find your true love or­ friendship there.

    From janetkor52, on Wed 21 Oct 3:10AM
  16. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    SICK FUC'KS GLAD THEY LOST

    From TIRPITZ, on Wed 21 Oct 1:54AM

  17. Mister Rasebirg this information is for you:
    FRANCISCO­ FRANCO TEAM________ 6 CL TITLES
    AC MILAN____________7­ CL­ TITLES
    FC LIVERPOOL_______ 5 CL TITLES
    MAN­­ UTD____________3 CL TITLES
    BARÇA_______________3 CL­ TITLES

    I´LL REMIND YOU HOW IRREAL MADSHIT GOT THEIR 3,­ you´ve obviously forgotten:
    1. AFTER CHEATING JUVENTUS­ IN THE FINAL 1998
    2. AFTER CHEATING MANUTD AT OLD­ TRAFFORD IN QUARTER-FINALS AND BAYERN MUNICH AT OLIMPIC­ STADIUM IN SEMIFINALS 2000
    3. AFTER CHEATING BARÇA AT­ BERNABOOO IN SEMIFINALS, THANKS TO RAUL AND R.CARLO´S­ GOOD FRIEND PIERLUIGI COLLINA. 2002

    Enjoy all the REAL­ SHIIIIIIIIIIT around IRREAL MADSHIT!!!!!!!!!!

    From Flash, on Wed 21 Oct 1:20AM

  18. Mister Rasebirg this information is for you:
    FRANCISCO­ FRANCO TEAM________ 6 CL TITLES
    AC MILAN____________7­ CL­ TITLES
    FC LIVERPOOL_______ 5 CL TITLES
    MAN­­ UTD____________3 CL TITLES
    BARÇA_______________3 CL­ TITLES

    I´LL REMIND YOU HOW IRREAL MADSHIT GOT THEIR 3,­ you´ve obviously forgotten:
    1. AFTER CHEATING JUVENTUS­ IN THE FINAL 1998 (goal in offside).
    2. AFTER CHEATING­ MANUTD AT OLD TRAFFORD IN QUARTER-FINALS AND BAYERN­ MUNICH AT OLIMPIC STADIUM IN SEMIFINALS 2000
    3. AFTER­ CHEATING BARÇA AT BERNABOOO IN SEMIFINALS, THANKS TO­ RAUL AND R.CARLO´S GOOD FRIEND PIERLUIGI COLLINA.­ 2002

    Enjoy all the REAL @#$% around IRREAL­ MADSHIT!!!!!!!!!!

    From Flash, on Wed 21 Oct 1:14AM

  19. Rasebirg..if you have no idea about history, shut da­ feck up. FC Barcelona 3 CL titles, if you feel you need­ to add Manchester United in tyou little list. By the­ way Real Madrid has never won a treble..eat that!

    From Dale, on Wed 21 Oct 1:14AM

  20. Always great to see Barcelona lose, especially against­ a Russian League team at Camp Nou. (Though, to be fair,­ Rubin did beat Spartak Moscow last week.) No need for­ name calling here, but I think we might be looking at­ Dynamo Kyiv and Rubin Kazan at the top of the table in­ front of Inter Milan (who I don't hate) and­ Barcelona.

    And even if that doesn't happen, at­ least Ukraine and Russian sides are keeping it­ interesting.

    From tottenspursfc, on Wed 21 Oct 1:14AM
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