FOOTBALL Live

Wednesday October 22, 2008 Finished St. Jakob-Park

0 - 5

Basel

Barcelona

  • Messi 3’
  • Busquets 15’
  • Bojan 21’, 48’
  • Xavi 49’
  1. Barcelona batter Basel

    Barcelona batter Basel

    Barcelona were a class apart as they hammered Basel 5-0 in Switzerland to go clear at the top of Champions League Group C. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Basel
    • Barcelona
    • - Barcelona are clear at the top with nine points, three clear of Sporting - who beat Shakhtar in Ukraine tonight. Basel are bottom with zero points.
    • 90+3' No time for the corner. The match ends 5-0 to Barcelona; a rout, but it could have been 10 or more.
    • 90+2' Henry steps inside and bangs a shot at goal that Costanzo tips over. He has not looked too good since he came on, but that was unlucky.
    • 90' Eduardo through on goal!! He sneaks a look at the linesman to check he is onside... he is... he steps inside to fool Puyol, who slides on by... and his shot is blocked by Valdes, who stands tall!! The best chance they have had all night.
    • 89' Still Barca attack, although they cannot score. Poor final-third play by Bojan.
    • 86' David Abraham goes through Busquets and is shown a yellow card.
    • 82' Henry misses the target with a free header from a few yards out, following good work by Alves on the right.
    • 78' Alves cracks a free-kick at goal that Costanzo parries up in the air.
    • 76' The match is now a training ground exercise for the Catalan club. Guardiola has masterminded seven wins on the trot since the win over Sporting - this will be number eight.
    • 72' Basel change: Eduardo on for Streller.
    • 72' Roger Federer, a Basel fan, looks downright miserable in the stands - all tucked up behind his scarf.
    • 71' Gjasula with another run down the left. The 22-year-old's cross is not quite the ticket, but he is their man of the match in the few minutes he has been on the pitch.
    • 70' Hleb nutmegs an opponent and crosses to the near post and Henry - he cannot score though with the header.
    • 69' Valdes fails to catch cleanly under pressure from Derdiyok, but the numerous Basel players are half-hearted in their efforts to score and so he collects at the second attempt.
    • 67' The last Barca change: another kid, in the form of Victor Sanchez - who was full of running but could not quite find the passes against Athletic Bilbao at the weekend - on for Toure, who has a strain of some kind.
    • 64' Streller steals in on the left and beats Valdes with a low shot, but Sylvinho is on the line to stop the ball - and nick it around the despairing dive of Derdiyok before collecting it to clear.
    • 63' Henry comes at a lone defender from the left, as he likes to do, and is almost through on goal after Messi returns his pass inside with a backheel - it is just cut out.
    • 60' The sub Gjasula races free on the left for Basel after a lovely run and ball from Stocker... his low centre beats the diving Valdes but Puyol is there to hammer clear.
    • 57' Basel have made a change too: Juergen Gjasula on for the ineffective Scott Chipperfield.
    • 57' Barca change: Henry on for Xavi, a precautionary move by Guardiola.
    • 55' Bojan completely free in the centre of the box - and he tries to scoop the ball over Costanzo!! It lands on the top of the net. On a hat-trick in the Champions League and only 18 years of age - and he's playing like he's down the local park kicking about with his mates.
    • 53' Barca change: Martin Caceres, bought in the summer from Villarreal for big money but still only 21, on for Marquez. It is the Uruguayan's Champions League debut.
    • 51' Gross cuts a sorry figure on the sodden touchline, and there are more goals to come for the visitors I'm afraid.
    • 48' XAVI WITH A FIFTH!! This is getting ridiculous. Hleb cut in from the left and Messi took the ball into his feet before laying off to the midfield playmaker - and he hit a low shot into the bottom corner from 20 yards out.
    • 46' BOJAN MAKES IT FOUR!! Xavi played it to Busquets, who sent his team-mate through on goal - and he left the defenders for dead before slotting inside the post.
    • 46' Basel attack with a cross from the left, leaving Valdes standed... Huggel cannot capitalise. Barca counter...
    • 46' Basel change at the break: Valentin Stocker on for Rubio.
    • 46' The second half begins in Basel.
    • 45+1' After one minute of added time, referee Eric Braamhaar blows for half-time. All Barcelona - embarrassingly so. It could have been 7-0, but they settle for three.
    • 45' Basel coach Christian Gross, famously a former coach of Spurs, said before the match: "It's difficult - but we have a chance against any team." Sorry Christian, but no, you don't.
    • 43' Eduardo Rubio with a bad challenge on Busquests, earning a yellow card. He is down receiving attention for some time.
    • 39' Basel midfield man Derdiyok creates a chance for Ergic, saved at the near post by Valdes. The corner kick is delivered by the latter, unsuccessfully.
    • 37' Another stunning move ends with a lax finish as Hleb takes his time after being fed through on the left by Messi, saved by Costanzo. Another one-on-one. Before that Bojan sliced wide with the goal at his mercy and the keeper stranded.
    • 35' Eren Derdiyok leads a promising attack, but runs into a brick wall of yellow Barca shirts on the edge of the box.
    • 33' Huggel caught in possession by Bojan, who clips a low pass through the channel for Messi to get to... he is taken out by Costanzo!! No penalty awarded - that is a sympathy decision, has to be. The ball ran away from the attacker, but his standing leg was taken away.
    • 31' Reto Zanni haring down the right wing for Basel, giving voice to the fans... he is tackled. But wait, Benjamin Huggel has it... and he loses it to Yaya Toure. They are playing shockingly.
    • 30' Sorry to say that it is Barca again who produce the latest piece of sublime attacking play, Hleb and Messi prising apart their opponents only for Bojan to relax in the centre of the box with the goal at his mercy. Alves follows up with a hard shot that is blocked on the line.
    • 29' Come on Basel!! Give us an attack to write about lads!!
    • 26' Alves strikes a shot just over the crossbar!! Messi found the feet of Busquets with a free-kick and he immediately laid it off to the Brazilian, who let fly first-time from 25 yards - a well-worked training ground move.
    • 22' A THIRD FOR BARCELONA!! This is getting silly: Basel cannot get anywhere near the Spanish club's players. Messi is not closed down and he feeds Bojan outside the box, who brings the ball across to the right before striking a low shot inside the far post from 20-odd yards. A bit like Wayne Rooney's goal for Manchester United last night.
    • 20' Messi and co orchestrate another opportunity, on the left this time, and the Argentine's shot is just wide!!
    • 18' Another chance for a goal goes begging as a low cross is met 10 yards out by Xavi - but the Spain man's first-time shot is saved by the keeper's legs.
    • 17' Barcelona all over Basel. The home team cannot get the ball.
    • 15' A SECOND GOAL FOR BARCELONA!! Sergio Busquets made the run down the right side of the box and Xavi duly picked him out - and the youngster, son of former Barca keeper Carles Busquets, finished through the legs of the advancing Costanzo.
    • 12' Barca coach Pep Guardiola has rested Thierry Henry, Andres Iniesta and Samuel Eto'o for tonight's match, given the situation in the group.
    • 11' Ivan Ergic's kick comes in to the near post, where more poor defending almost costs the away side. Alves, on the floor, kicks it out for another set-piece; which is subsequently cleared.
    • 10' Streller has space on the left side of the penalty area and hesitates, allowing Victor Valdes to come out and block. He should have done better. Corner kick...
    • 8' Hleb slips through Bojan as Barca counter with four men on three... he is just offside, although he does not know that until after he dispatches the ball inside the far post.
    • 7' An explosive start from the 2006 European champions. Messi exchanges passes with Bojan in the box and almost gets in behind again. Hleb also looking good so far.
    • 6' Basel with an attacking free-kick, which Barca clear easily.
    • 4' LIONEL MESSI OPENS THE SCORING FOR BARCELONA!!! He played the ball across the box to Alves who returned it with the outside of his foot to the back stick - and it was a great finish across home goalkeeper Franco Costanzo.
    • 2' In fact Marquez and Puyol both start for Barca, while youngster Bojan Krkic is also picked. There is also a start for Alexander Hleb after his injury.
    • 1' We are underway in Switzerland!!
    • - Barca top the group with six points after their Lionel Messi-inspired last-gasp win over Shakhtar, while Basel are point-less afer defeats to the Donetsk side and Sporting.
    • - Basel should have Switzerland pair Eren Derdiyok and Marco Streller up front, while Benjamin Huggel and Scott Chipperfield are expected to start in midfield after recovering from fitness problems. There is a doubt over midfielder Carlitos, who only recently returned to training, with Eduardo Rubio on standby.
    • - Calatan club Barca are without Seydou Keita after the Mali midfielder hurt his leg in the 1-0 Liga win at Athletic Bilbao at the weekend; Striker Eidur Gudjohnsen and defenders Gabriel Milito and Martin Caceres are also out. Rafael Marquez (ankle) and Yaya Toure (shoulder) also picked up knocks at the San Mames and are doubtful, with club captain Carles Puyol expected to start in place of Marquez in central defence. Midfield lynchpin Xavi returns after a hamstring problem.
    • - Welcome to LIVE text commentary and scoring of the Champions League Group C clash between Basel and Barcelona.

  • Team Stats

    Basel Stats Barcelona
    23% Possession 76%
    8 Shots 19
    2 Shots on target 12
    5 Saves 2
    4 Corners 7
    10 Fouls 11
    3 Offsides 5
    2 Yellow cards 0
    0 Red cards 0
    33 Tackles 20
    170 Accurate passes 697
    25 Bad passes 79

  • Player Stats

    G =
    Goals
    S =
    Shots
    SoT =
    Shot on Target
    F =
    Fouls
    FW =
    Fouls Won
    O =
    Offsides
    A =
    Assists
    AP =
    Accurate Passes
    BP =
    Bad Passes
    T =
    Tackles
    • Basel
      G S SoT F FW O A AP BP T
      1 Franco Costanzo 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 2 0
      19 David Angel Abraham 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 17 1 5
      20 Behrang Safari 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 13 5 4
      32 Reto Zanni 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 15 0 1
      21 François Marque 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 16 1 7
      22 Ivan Ergic 0 2 0 1 2 0 0 22 4 3
      8 Benjamin Huggel 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 24 6 5
      11 Scott Chipperfield 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 7 2 1
      31 Eren Derdiyok 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 14 0 0
      10 Marco Streller 0 1 1 0 1 2 0 9 0 2
      17 Eduardo Javier Rubio 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 5 0 3
      9 Marko Perovic 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      35 Oliver Stöckli 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      7 Jürgen Gjasula 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 2 2
      28 Beg Ferati 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      6 Marcos Gelabert 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      23 Eduardo Da Silva 0 2 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0
      14 Valentin Stocker 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 5 2 0
    • Barcelona
      G S SoT F FW O A AP BP T
      1 Víctor Valdés 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 0 0
      5 Carles Puyol 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 76 6 1
      16 Sylvinho Mendes Campos 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 55 15 2
      20 Daniel Alves 0 4 2 6 1 1 1 72 1 1
      4 Rafael Márquez 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 51 1 1
      6 Xavi Hernández 1 2 2 0 2 0 1 61 9 0
      28 Sergi Busquets 1 1 1 3 2 0 1 78 8 4
      24 Gnegneri Yaya Toure 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 68 3 4
      21 Alexander Hleb 0 1 1 0 2 1 0 61 15 1
      10 Lionel Messi 1 2 1 1 3 1 2 56 8 1
      11 Bojan Krkic 2 5 3 0 1 2 0 34 7 1
      9 Samuel Eto'o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      29 Víctor Sánchez 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 1 3
      8 Andres Iniesta 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      22 Eric Abidal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      2 Martín Cáceres 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 48 4 1
      14 Thierry Henry 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 14 1 0
      13 Jose Manuel Pinto 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

  • Summary

    • 90' Eduardo through on goal!! He sneaks a look at the linesman to check he is onside... he is... he steps inside to fool Puyol, who slides on by... and his shot is blocked by Valdes, who stands tall!! The best chance they have had all night.
    • 72' Roger Federer, a Basel fan, looks downright miserable in the stands - all tucked up behind his scarf.
    • 64' Streller steals in on the left and beats Valdes with a low shot, but Sylvinho is on the line to stop the ball - and nick it around the despairing dive of Derdiyok before collecting it to clear.
    • 60' The sub Gjasula races free on the left for Basel after a lovely run and ball from Stocker... his low centre beats the diving Valdes but Puyol is there to hammer clear.
    • 55' Bojan completely free in the centre of the box - and he tries to scoop the ball over Costanzo!! It lands on the top of the net. On a hat-trick in the Champions League and only 18 years of age - and he's playing like he's down the local park kicking about with his mates.
    • 48' XAVI WITH A FIFTH!! This is getting ridiculous. Hleb cut in from the left and Messi took the ball into his feet before laying off to the midfield playmaker - and he hit a low shot into the bottom corner from 20 yards out.
    • 46' BOJAN MAKES IT FOUR!! Xavi played it to Busquets, who sent his team-mate through on goal - and he left the defenders for dead before slotting inside the post.
    • 39' Basel midfield man Derdiyok creates a chance for Ergic, saved at the near post by Valdes. The corner kick is delivered by the latter, unsuccessfully.
    • 37' Another stunning move ends with a lax finish as Hleb takes his time after being fed through on the left by Messi, saved by Costanzo. Another one-on-one. Before that Bojan sliced wide with the goal at his mercy and the keeper stranded.
    • 33' Huggel caught in possession by Bojan, who clips a low pass through the channel for Messi to get to... he is taken out by Costanzo!! No penalty awarded - that is a sympathy decision, has to be. The ball ran away from the attacker, but his standing leg was taken away.
    • 30' Sorry to say that it is Barca again who produce the latest piece of sublime attacking play, Hleb and Messi prising apart their opponents only for Bojan to relax in the centre of the box with the goal at his mercy. Alves follows up with a hard shot that is blocked on the line.
    • 26' Alves strikes a shot just over the crossbar!! Messi found the feet of Busquets with a free-kick and he immediately laid it off to the Brazilian, who let fly first-time from 25 yards - a well-worked training ground move.
    • 22' A THIRD FOR BARCELONA!! This is getting silly: Basel cannot get anywhere near the Spanish club's players. Messi is not closed down and he feeds Bojan outside the box, who brings the ball across to the right before striking a low shot inside the far post from 20-odd yards. A bit like Wayne Rooney's goal for Manchester United last night.
    • 20' Messi and co orchestrate another opportunity, on the left this time, and the Argentine's shot is just wide!!
    • 15' A SECOND GOAL FOR BARCELONA!! Sergio Busquets made the run down the right side of the box and Xavi duly picked him out - and the youngster, son of former Barca keeper Carles Busquets, finished through the legs of the advancing Costanzo.
    • 10' Streller has space on the left side of the penalty area and hesitates, allowing Victor Valdes to come out and block. He should have done better. Corner kick...
    • 8' Hleb slips through Bojan as Barca counter with four men on three... he is just offside, although he does not know that until after he dispatches the ball inside the far post.
    • 4' LIONEL MESSI OPENS THE SCORING FOR BARCELONA!!! He played the ball across the box to Alves who returned it with the outside of his foot to the back stick - and it was a great finish across home goalkeeper Franco Costanzo.

Live Team Line-Up

  • Referee: Sig. Braamhaar

  • Basel

    Manager: Christian Gross

    Starting line-up

    • F. Costanzo
    • R. Zanni
    • D. Abraham
    • F. Marque
    • B. Safari
    • E. Rubio Yellow Card Substitution Out (47′)
    • I. Ergic
    • B. Huggel
    • S. Chipperfield Substitution Out (54′)
    • E. Derdiyok
    • M. Streller Substitution Out (71′)

    Subs

    • M. Perovic
    • J. Gjasula Substitution In54′
    • C. Alves "Carlitos"
    • Eduardo Substitution In71′
    • B. Ferati
    • M. Morganella
    • F. Frei
    • V. Stocker Substitution In47′
    • M. Gelabert
    • O. Mustafi
    • O. Stockli

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None

  • Barcelona

    Manager: Josep Guardiola

    Starting line-up

    • V. Valdés
    • D. Alves
    • C. Puyol
    • R. Márquez Substitution Out (52′)
    • S. Sylvinho
    • Y. Touré Substitution Out (66′)
    • C. Busquets Goal
    • A. Hleb
    • .. Xavi Goal Substitution Out (56′)
    • L. Messi Goal
    • K. Bojan Goals×2

    Subs

    • 14. T. Henry Substitution In56′
    • 22. E. Abidal
    • 13. J. Pinto
    • 9. S. Eto'o
    • 8. A. Iniesta
    • 3. G. Pique
    • 2. M. Cáceres Substitution In52′
    • 29. V. Sánchez Substitution In66′

    Injured

    • 7. E. Gudjohnsen
    • 15. S. Keita
    • 18. G. Milito

    Suspended

    None