FOOTBALL Live

Sunday March 23, 2008 Finished

Logo 4 - Logo 1

Barcelona

  • Eto'o 25’
  • Iniesta 48’
  • Bojan Krkic 63’, 86’

Valladolid

  • Sesma 31’ (pen.)

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Barcelona
    • Valladolid
    • 90+2' The final whistle goes. Barca's firepower ultimately proved too much for a spirited Valladolid side who could well have scored as many as their hosts. Attention now turns to Real Madrid's game against Valencia, and you can follow all the action from the Bernabeu by clicking the link in the LiveBox on the right.
    • 90' There will be two minutes of stoppage time.
    • 88' Any hopes of a Valladolid comeback were crushed by that goal, and Barca are now stringing the ball around at leisure.
    • 85' That will be Bojan's last contribution, as he is replaced by young Spanish striker Pedrito.
    • 83' GOAL! 4-1 Barca! Manchev rattles the Barca crossbar with a terrific left-footed effort, and then Barca break down the right, Eto'o rounds Asenjo and rolls the ball across to Bojan to tap home at the back post! So cruel for Valladolid.
    • 82' Eto'o looks for Henry with a low cross from the right but the Frenchman is hopelessly outnumbered and Valladolid clear.
    • 81' Ten minutes remain, and the visitors are seeing a lot more of the ball now.
    • 79' GOAL! 3-2! NO! The ball is prodded forward to Manchev and he calmly lifts it over Valdes and into the net with his left foot, but the flag is up.
    • 78' Henry, so close! Xavi bends in a lovely cross from the right and Henry stoops to head the ball goalwards but doesn't get a proper contact and it bounces inches wide of the far post! His heading clearly hasn't been improved by his move to Spain.
    • 77' Henry is penalised for a foul on Baraja.
    • 76' Off the post for Valladolid! A low cross is played into the box from the right and Sesma attacks it at the near post but sees his effort cannon back off the upright!
    • 74' Valladolid make their last change, with veteran striker Victor replacing Camacho.
    • 73' Lovely football from Barca! Henry wriggles inside from the left and finds Eto'o, he prods the ball into space for Bojan to run onto but Asenjo races from his line to clear!
    • 71' Eric Abidal comes on in place of countryman Thuram, and slots into the middle of defence alongside Puyol. Diego Camacho is booked for a fairly innocuous challenge in midfield.
    • 70' What a miss! Henry sends the visitors' defence this way and that before crossing low from the left, Bojan drives in a low shot from the right and from four yards out, with an open goal at his mercy, Eto'o turns the ball over the bar!
    • 69' Eto'o looks to jink into the box from the left but he's doggedly dispossessed by Sisi.
    • 68' Sesma is given offside as he seeks to get on the end of a cross from the right.
    • 67' Bojan - who, if you haven't seen him, looks about 8 - whips in a cross from the right that goes out for a goal kick.
    • 66' Chance for Valladolid! Sesma gets in behind the Barca defence on the left and slides in a low cross that Sylvinho puts behind at the back post. Sisi swings in the corner to the back post but Valdes claims it well.
    • 64' The visitors have every reason to feel aggrieved about that goal - Puyol was clearly offside when the ball was played. Daniel Kome comes off for Sisi.
    • 62' GOAL! 3-1 Barca! Xavi's free-kick finds Puyol in acres of space inside the area - the Valladolid defence having stepped up - and when he can't control the ball it runs to Bojan, who takes a touch before firing home from a tight angle on the right!
    • 61' Eto'o is pole-axed by Rafa. Free-kick to Barca about 10 yards in from the touchline on the right. Barca introduce Eidur Gudjohnsen in place of Yaya Toure.
    • 60' The visitors make their first change, with Bulgarian striker Vladimir Manchev coming on for top scorer Llorente.
    • 58' Valladolid coach Jose Luis Mendilibar is on his feet, exhorting his side from the touchline. They went into this game clear of the relegation zone on goal difference alone.
    • 56' Iniesta's goal has got the crowd back on Barca's side. The question now is whether they can put in a performance that will really send the fans home happy.
    • 54' Toure trots up and fires in a right-footed piledriver that Asenjo punches into the air before gathering - slightly theatrically - at the second attempt.
    • 53' Eto'o wins a free-kick about 30 yards from goal in a central position. Xavi and Toure form the dead-ball committee.
    • 51' Sesma is unceremoniously chopped down by Puyol as he advances goalwards, and the Barca skipper is rightly cautioned.
    • 49' Valladolid defender Pedro Lopez will not enjoy the replays of that goal. He was caught out by Bojan's flick-on, and opted to appeal for offside when he might have been able to get back to clear Iniesta's shot off the line.
    • 47' GOAL! 2-1 Barca! Toure stabs a high ball forward from midfield, Bojan flicks it on with his head and Iniesta knocks the ball wide of Asenjo before coolly tucking the ball home with his left foot! Great finish.
    • 46' The second half begins, and Toure gives the ball away in seconds, allowing Sesma to race through before firing a left-footed shot over the bar from the edge of the box! A sloppy start to a very important 45 minutes for Barcelona.
    • 45+1' The half-time whistle is drowned out by the sound of whistling and jeering from the stands! Barca started brightly, but there's a nervousness and an uncertainty about their play that has become an increasingly familiar sight this season, and Valladolid look set to take advantage.
    • 45' Alvaro Rubio whips in a delicious right-footed cross from the left and Sesma completely misses his attempted volley from right in front of goal, allowing the ball to bounce past the far post! Great chance.
    • 44' Kome curls in a dangerous corner from the left and Llorente is just crowded out at the near post!
    • 43' Valladolid go forward again, Llorente attempts a shot from the edge of the box but it's blocked. The whistling from the home fans is beginning...
    • 41' Henry wins a free-kick in a dangerous position on the left-hand side, but Barca take it quickly and it's wasted. Daniel Kome does well to escape the shackles of Sylvinho down the right, but his cross is chested clear at the near post by a flying Carles Puyol.
    • 40' Iniesta goes down, clutching his derriere, after being caught by a clumsy challenge from Llorente in midfield.
    • 39' Vivar Dorado looks to get forward down the right but he runs into trouble and Barca regain possession.
    • 37' Valladolid threaten! Sesma's cross from the left is headed back to the edge of the box, Alvaro Rubico cracks in a right-footed half-volley and Llorente re-directs it goalwards, but luckily for Barca it's straight at Valdes!
    • 36' Zambrotta wins a free-kick on the Barca right after drawing a foul from visiting skipper Alberto Marcos. The big men go forward. Sylvinho curls the ball in but gets right underneath it and Asenjo allows it to drift out for a goal kick at the back post. Poor.
    • 34' A quietness descends on Camp Nou, as the home fans contemplate the prospect of another frustrating afternoon.
    • 33' How will Barca respond to this setback? They've been in really poor form of late, and the fans are growing impatient. Xavi plays in a free-kick from the left but it's headed away at the near post.
    • 31' Sesma steps up... AND SCORES! He sends Valdes the wrong way and slots the ball into the bottom-left corner with his left foot. 1-1!
    • 29' PENALTY TO VALLADOLID! Lilian Thuram nudges Llorente to the ground as they contest a cross from the Valladolid right, and the ref points to the spot! The Barca defenders are furious, and it has to be said there wasn't much contact.
    • 27' Iniesta pops in an ambitious shot from the left but it's well held by the 18-year-old Asenjo.
    • 25' That was a lovely goal from Barca, and it's no surprise that Bojan - their brightest player so far - was at the heart of it.
    • 23' GOAL! 1-0 Barca! Bojan clips a right-footed cross into the box from the left, and Eto'o gets ahead of his marker to sidefoot the ball past Asenjo on the volley! You can't say Valladolid haven't been warned.
    • 21' Asenjo denies Barca again! This time Toure attacks a corner from the right with a flying volley that the visiting 'keeper pushes away! Looked good first time round, replays showed it was straight at him.
    • 20' Andres Iniesta tricks his way into the Valladolid box from the left and shoots from a tight angle but it's parried at the near post by Asenjo.
    • 19' Barca break through Bojan, he finds Henry inside the box and the ball is worked to Eto'o on the right-hand corner of the area but his half-volley is blocked at close range.
    • 18' Sesma breaks free down the left and curls in an inviting low cross but it's gathered comfortably by Valdes.
    • 16' Jonathan Sesma looks to be through on the Barca goal but he's halted in his tracks by a very late flag.
    • 15' Sylvinho swings in another cross from the left and it's headed away.
    • 14' Eto'o looks for Gianluca Zambrotta down the Barca right but his pass is just too strong and Valladolid clear.
    • 12' Joseba Llorente tries to get on the end of a long ball but his touch is just too heavy and the ball goes behind for a Barca goal kick.
    • 11' Sylvinho whips in a great cross from the left wing but his former Arsenal team-mate Thierry Henry can't quite connect with his header and it bounces well wide of the right-hand post.
    • 10' Angel Vivar Dorado looks to sneak down the Valladolid left but he's eased off the ball by Yaya Toure and a goal kick is awarded.
    • 9' The visitors lump a long ball forward, and Barca 'keeper Victor Valdes hoofs it away from inside his area.
    • 8' The home side have made a strong start here, and Valladolid can't get a foothold at the moment.
    • 6' Barca could - and perhaps should - be two goals up already here. They'll certainly fancy their chances of sticking a few goals past a Valladolid side that went down 7-0 against Real Madrid at the beginning of February.
    • 4' Great save Asenjo! Xavi finds Bojan inside the Valladolid area with a delightful pass but 'keeper Sergio Asenjo races from his line to block Bojan's left-footed shot!
    • 2' Early chance for Barca! Bojan latches onto a weak back-pass by Rafa, takes the ball past the goalkeeper and slides it towards the empty net but Javier Baraja races back to hack the ball away!
    • 1' We're underway!
    • 16:00 The teams are on the pitch - which, as ever, looks immaculate - and kick-off will be upon us shortly. Barca are wearing their famous burgundy and blue shirts, blue shorts and burgundy and blue horizontally striped socks, Valladolid are in white and purple striped shirts, white shorts and white socks with purple stripes.
    • 15:58 Barca defender Gabriel Milito is suspended, and they must also do without injury victims Rafael Marquez, Ronaldinho, Giovani Dos Santos, Lionel Messi, Deco and Oleguer. Frank Rijkaard opts for a front three of Thierry Henry, Samuel Eto'o and exciting youngster Bojan Krkic.
    • 15:45 Good afternoon and thank-you for joining us for eurosport.yahoo.com's LIVE coverage of this La Liga clash from Camp Nou in Barcelona. Barca go into the game without a win in three league matches, and having been eliminated from the Copa del Rey by Valencia in mid-week. But a victory against fourth-bottom Valladolid would close the gap on leaders Real Madrid to just four points. Kick-off is at 16:00 GMT.

  • Summary

    • 83' GOAL! 4-1 Barca! Manchev rattles the Barca crossbar with a terrific left-footed effort, and then Barca break down the right, Eto'o rounds Asenjo and rolls the ball across to Bojan to tap home at the back post! So cruel for Valladolid.
    • 79' GOAL! 3-2! NO! The ball is prodded forward to Manchev and he calmly lifts it over Valdes and into the net with his left foot, but the flag is up.
    • 78' Henry, so close! Xavi bends in a lovely cross from the right and Henry stoops to head the ball goalwards but doesn't get a proper contact and it bounces inches wide of the far post! His heading clearly hasn't been improved by his move to Spain.
    • 76' Off the post for Valladolid! A low cross is played into the box from the right and Sesma attacks it at the near post but sees his effort cannon back off the upright!
    • 73' Lovely football from Barca! Henry wriggles inside from the left and finds Eto'o, he prods the ball into space for Bojan to run onto but Asenjo races from his line to clear!
    • 70' What a miss! Henry sends the visitors' defence this way and that before crossing low from the left, Bojan drives in a low shot from the right and from four yards out, with an open goal at his mercy, Eto'o turns the ball over the bar!
    • 66' Chance for Valladolid! Sesma gets in behind the Barca defence on the left and slides in a low cross that Sylvinho puts behind at the back post. Sisi swings in the corner to the back post but Valdes claims it well.
    • 62' GOAL! 3-1 Barca! Xavi's free-kick finds Puyol in acres of space inside the area - the Valladolid defence having stepped up - and when he can't control the ball it runs to Bojan, who takes a touch before firing home from a tight angle on the right!
    • 54' Toure trots up and fires in a right-footed piledriver that Asenjo punches into the air before gathering - slightly theatrically - at the second attempt.
    • 47' GOAL! 2-1 Barca! Toure stabs a high ball forward from midfield, Bojan flicks it on with his head and Iniesta knocks the ball wide of Asenjo before coolly tucking the ball home with his left foot! Great finish.
    • 45' Alvaro Rubio whips in a delicious right-footed cross from the left and Sesma completely misses his attempted volley from right in front of goal, allowing the ball to bounce past the far post! Great chance.
    • 37' Valladolid threaten! Sesma's cross from the left is headed back to the edge of the box, Alvaro Rubico cracks in a right-footed half-volley and Llorente re-directs it goalwards, but luckily for Barca it's straight at Valdes!
    • 31' Sesma steps up... AND SCORES! He sends Valdes the wrong way and slots the ball into the bottom-left corner with his left foot. 1-1!
    • 29' PENALTY TO VALLADOLID! Lilian Thuram nudges Llorente to the ground as they contest a cross from the Valladolid right, and the ref points to the spot! The Barca defenders are furious, and it has to be said there wasn't much contact.
    • 23' GOAL! 1-0 Barca! Bojan clips a right-footed cross into the box from the left, and Eto'o gets ahead of his marker to sidefoot the ball past Asenjo on the volley! You can't say Valladolid haven't been warned.
    • 21' Asenjo denies Barca again! This time Toure attacks a corner from the right with a flying volley that the visiting 'keeper pushes away! Looked good first time round, replays showed it was straight at him.
    • 20' Andres Iniesta tricks his way into the Valladolid box from the left and shoots from a tight angle but it's parried at the near post by Asenjo.
    • 4' Great save Asenjo! Xavi finds Bojan inside the Valladolid area with a delightful pass but 'keeper Sergio Asenjo races from his line to block Bojan's left-footed shot!
    • 2' Early chance for Barca! Bojan latches onto a weak back-pass by Rafa, takes the ball past the goalkeeper and slides it towards the empty net but Javier Baraja races back to hack the ball away!

Live Team Line-Up

  • Referee: José Luis Paradas Romero

  • Barcelona

    Manager: Frank Rijkaard

    On the Field

    • Valdés
    • Zambrotta
    • Puyol Yellow Card
    • Thuram Substitution Out (72′)
    • Sylvinho
    • Touré Substitution Out (61′)
    • Xavi
    • Iniesta Goal
    • Bojan Krkic Goals×2 Substitution Out (88′)
    • Henry
    • Eto'o Goal

    Subs

    • 22. Abidal Substitution In (72′)
    • 7. Gudjohnsen Substitution In (61′)
    • Pinto
    • 15. Edmilson
    • 36. Sánchez
    • 33. Pedrito Substitution In (88′)
    • 30. Víctor Vázquez

    Injured

    • 4. Márquez
    • 23. Oleguer
    • 17. Dos Santos

    Suspended

    • 3. Milito

  • Valladolid

    Manager: José Luis Mendilibar

    On the Field

    • Asenjo
    • Pedro López
    • Baraja
    • "Rafa"
    • Marcos
    • Kome Substitution Out (65′)
    • Rubio
    • Camacho Yellow Card Substitution Out (76′)
    • Sesma
    • Vivar Dorado
    • Llorente Substitution Out (59′)

    Subs

    • 13. López Fernández
    • 23. Manchev Substitution In (59′)
    • 6. Fernández
    • 21. Víctor Substitution In (76′)
    • 4. Alexis
    • 7. Sisi Substitution In (65′)
    • 10. Óscar

    Injured

    • 5. García Calvo
    • 24. Iñaki Bea

    Suspended

    None