FOOTBALL Live

Sunday December 21, 2008 Finished

1 - 2

Villarreal

  • Gracia "Cani" 48’

Barcelona

  • Keita 54’
  • Henry 67’
  1. Round-up: Ten-man Barca win again

    Round-up: Ten-man Barca win again

    Ten-man Barcelona re-enforced their lead at the top of La Liga with a 2-1 win over fourth-placed Villarreal at El Madrigal. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Villarreal
    • Barcelona
    • FT There's the final whistle and somehow Barcelona have managed to hold on for the win and re-inforce their lead at the top of the table heading into the winter break
    • 90'+2 Villarreal will be kicking themselves if they don't get a point here as Godin becomes the latest player to miss the target, heading Capdevila's cross over the bar
    • 90'+1 Another dreadful miss from Villarreal as Nihat somehow manages to push his ball wide of the right post despite having only Valdes to beat. He looks rightly embaressed by that chance
    • 90' Somehow the referee has decided their will be five minutes of extra time - not really sure what that figure has been plucked from but five minutes will be played nonetheless
    • 89' Villarreal are losing their discipline now as Santi Cazola is shown a yellow card for grabbing Messi pretty much by the nose and pulling him to the ground!
    • 85' Great chance for Franco to get the equaliser for Villarreal as Nihat lifts a neat through ball over the top to the Spaniard. But Franco's attempt to lift the ball over Valdes and into the back of the net is a poor one and the ball drifts well wide
    • 81' Eto'o reckons he has a decent penalty shout as he goes down in the area seemingly under the tackle of Gonzalo. But the referee waves play on after thinking about for a second and Barca cannot believe it!
    • 78' Tempers are boiling over now as Franco produces a poor challenge on Dani Alves, catching the Brazilian on the leg after going in with his studs up. Franco is pretty lucky that is only a yellow
    • 74' It's a red! Pique has been given his marching orders for a second bookable offence. Franco seemed to make a fair bit of that, the Villarreal substitute colliding with Pique in mid-air while both men were going for a header. That wasn't deliberate, in fact Pique looked like he'd tried to pull out of the challenge and that's a pretty harsh sending off
    • 71' Pique is shown the first yellow of the night as he brings down Rossi. Rossi is going to make way for Kahveci Nihat now although it's not entirely clear whether that change was brewing anyway or whether it's a direct result of the challenge
    • 66' GOAL BARCA!! It's been threatening and it is nothing less than Henry deserves as he toe-pokes a stunning cross from Xavi home on a first touch volley! Barcelona lead
    • 59' Barca continue to dominate in terms of possession and shots on goal as Alves looks to put his side in front with another long-range attempt. But again it is just off the mark to the right
    • 55' GOAL BARCA! It's all level again! Dani Alves loops a high cross into the box where Seydou Keita bravely runs straight at the fists of an approaching Lopez. Keita gets there just first and heads home while Lopez is left punching nothing ... just air!
    • 53' Barca are really probing the Villarreal defence now as they look to get back in the match. Xavi is the latest visitors to have a go at goal but he shot from just outside the box towards the bottom right hand corner is a relatively easy collect for Lopez
    • 48' GOAL VILLARREAL! Poor defending from Barca as Rossi lifts a through ball up to Cani, who in turn runs off the back of Pique and calmly lifts the ball over the approaching Valdes to put the hosts 1-0 completely against the first half run of play
    • 46' Barcelona get the second half underway ...
    • 45' Despite a raft of chances to the league leaders, somehow Villarreal have managed to reach the interval without conceding. Surely it's only a matter of time though? Yeah, I know, I said that 25 minutes ago too!
    • 41' Keita finds Henry on the edge of the area but it's another missed opportunity for the Frenchman as he sends the ball just fractionally past the left post. Barca are starting at a going in for the interval goalless
    • 36' How have Barca not scored yet? Henry races away down the left wing before releasing a cross. Xavi can't quite get his toe to the ball at the near post to turn the ball into the back of the net but it falls kindly for Messi. The Spaniard can't do anything with it either really as it's at an awkward height. Xavi has one last go at sticking his foot out as the ball drifts out past the left post but again his leg is not quite long enough and Villarreal, somehow, have escaped!
    • 32' Diego Godín tries a through ball, but Giuseppe Rossi is caught offside ... again!
    • 27' An absolute stunner from Busquets as he receives the ball just outside the area from Messi, who heads down a corner. Busquets's shot is whipped towards the top right corner and Lopez does brilliantly well to get his fingertips to the ball and tip it behind for a corner
    • 23' Again Rossi is caught offside after an attempted through ball from Capdeville. Are there more offsides in Spainish football than in the Premier League? It feels like there might be!
    • 21' Eto'o, who has been so quiet so far tonight that I almost forgot he was on the pitch, tries his luck from just outside the area ... but his shot is well blocked and bounces away to safety
    • 19' Rossi, this time, shaves the right post after a receiving the ball on a quick break from Pires and firing across the keeper from the left. It just drifts wide though and out behind for a goal-kick. The goals aren't far away in this match now
    • 17' Henry receives the ball from Xavi just on the edge of the area but right in front of goal but again the offside flag is raised
    • 15' The home crowd thinks Rossi is away for a one-on-one with the keeper but the flag is up
    • 14' Abidal makes a great run down the left wing before finding Henry, who in turn battles valiantly in the area getting in between two defenders and unleashing a shot which shaves the right post after crossing straight in front of Lopez. Another great chance for the Frenchman
    • 11' Not exactly the fast start we've become used to seeing from Barcelona this season although they are on top of this match but they are being pinned back into the middle of the field and that attempt by Henry in the third minute is, so far, the only shot on target by either team
    • 8' Villarreal now are slowly working their way forward through the centre of the pitch but they decide to go out to Angel Lopez on the right wing and Abidal is there to deal with the danger after a fair tussle!
    • 3' Barcelona are yet to release the ball after gaining possession from the off and it is Henry who has the first chance of the match as he fires straight at the keeper with only him to beat after a great touch from Xavi on an Messi through ball. Dani Alves with the follow-up fires well wide of the left post
    • 1' Here we go then ... the first half is underway courtesy of Villarreal
    • 16:37 Coming up at 6pm UK time, we have LIVE coverage of the clash between Villarreal and Barcelona.

  • Summary

    • 85' Great chance for Franco to get the equaliser for Villarreal as Nihat lifts a neat through ball over the top to the Spaniard. But Franco's attempt to lift the ball over Valdes and into the back of the net is a poor one and the ball drifts well wide
    • 74' It's a red! Pique has been given his marching orders for a second bookable offence. Franco seemed to make a fair bit of that, the Villarreal substitute colliding with Pique in mid-air while both men were going for a header. That wasn't deliberate, in fact Pique looked like he'd tried to pull out of the challenge and that's a pretty harsh sending off
    • 66' GOAL BARCA!! It's been threatening and it is nothing less than Henry deserves as he toe-pokes a stunning cross from Xavi home on a first touch volley! Barcelona lead
    • 55' GOAL BARCA! It's all level again! Dani Alves loops a high cross into the box where Seydou Keita bravely runs straight at the fists of an approaching Lopez. Keita gets there just first and heads home while Lopez is left punching nothing ... just air!
    • 48' GOAL VILLARREAL! Poor defending from Barca as Rossi lifts a through ball up to Cani, who in turn runs off the back of Pique and calmly lifts the ball over the approaching Valdes to put the hosts 1-0 completely against the first half run of play
    • 36' How have Barca not scored yet? Henry races away down the left wing before releasing a cross. Xavi can't quite get his toe to the ball at the near post to turn the ball into the back of the net but it falls kindly for Messi. The Spaniard can't do anything with it either really as it's at an awkward height. Xavi has one last go at sticking his foot out as the ball drifts out past the left post but again his leg is not quite long enough and Villarreal, somehow, have escaped!
    • 27' An absolute stunner from Busquets as he receives the ball just outside the area from Messi, who heads down a corner. Busquets's shot is whipped towards the top right corner and Lopez does brilliantly well to get his fingertips to the ball and tip it behind for a corner
    • 19' Rossi, this time, shaves the right post after a receiving the ball on a quick break from Pires and firing across the keeper from the left. It just drifts wide though and out behind for a goal-kick. The goals aren't far away in this match now
    • 14' Abidal makes a great run down the left wing before finding Henry, who in turn battles valiantly in the area getting in between two defenders and unleashing a shot which shaves the right post after crossing straight in front of Lopez. Another great chance for the Frenchman
    • 3' Barcelona are yet to release the ball after gaining possession from the off and it is Henry who has the first chance of the match as he fires straight at the keeper with only him to beat after a great touch from Xavi on an Messi through ball. Dani Alves with the follow-up fires well wide of the left post
    • 16:37 Coming up at 6pm UK time, we have LIVE coverage of the clash between Villarreal and Barcelona.

Live Team Line-Up

  • Referee: Carlos Clos Gómez

  • Villarreal

    Manager: Manuel Pellegrini

    Starting line-up

    • D. López
    • &. López Ruano Yellow Card
    • G. Rodríguez
    • D. Godín
    • J. Capdevila
    • M. Senna Substitution Out (79′)
    • S. Eguren
    • S. Cazorla Yellow Card
    • R. Pires
    • R. Gracia "Cani" Goal Substitution Out (73′)
    • G. Rossi Substitution Out (73′)

    Subs

    • 11. A. Ibagaza Substitution In79′
    • 15. K. Nihat Substitution In73′
    • 1. S. Viera
    • 9. G. Franco Substitution In73′ Yellow Card
    • 20. F. Fuentes
    • 21. S. Bruno
    • 14. M. Fernández

    Injured

    • 17. J. Venta

    Suspended

    • 16. J. Llorente

  • Barcelona

    Manager: Josep Guardiola

    Starting line-up

    • V. Valdés
    • D. Alves
    • C. Puyol
    • G. Pique Red Card
    • E. Abidal
    • .. Xavi
    • S. Keita Goal
    • L. Messi
    • T. Henry Goal Substitution Out (79′)
    • C. Busquets Substitution Out (68′)
    • S. Eto'o Yellow Card Substitution Out (85′)

    Subs

    • 21. A. Hleb Substitution In85′
    • 7. E. Gudjohnsen
    • 16. S. Sylvinho
    • 13. J. Pinto
    • 24. Y. Touré Substitution In68′
    • 2. M. Cáceres Substitution In79′
    • 11. K. Bojan
    • S. Víctor Vázquez

    Injured

    • 4. R. Márquez
    • 18. G. Milito

    Suspended

    None