All Bar�a�s football

Match

Marcador del partit

Date: Sunday, 20 Jan
Competition: ???label.competicio0???
Stadium: Camp Nou, Barcelona

Resultat:

FC Barcelona: 1
Racing: 0

Match report

Match Report
Pre-Match

Match Report

Goal

Henry (30')

Henry decisive (1-0)

Jordi Clos

A goal from Henry has given Bar�a three more points in their third consecutive league victory. Rijkaard�s men, with Messi back in the team, will have to be more effective in their struggle for the title.

Bar�a have won three more points against a tactically effective Racing, who had started the second part of the season in sixth place in the league. Rijkaard’s men found it hard to deactivate the ordered green-and-white defence. Thierry Henry decided the game in the first half, seeing home a deflected ball in the six-yard box. Henry’s goal and Messi’s reappearance were without doubt the highlights of a hard-fought victory.

Maximum organisation

Both teams started off very well organised, preventing each other from doing any damage. Bar�a, under more pressure than ever to win, found it difficult to find space in Racing’s perfect 4-4-2. The solid Cantabrian team was also prepared to slow the game down. The first chances came after the 20th minute, one after the other and very similar. First, Henry tried a header from a magnificent cross from Zambrotta, and then Bojan did much the same.

Henry punishes Racing

Bar�a were now showing their mettle, and the goal came soon after. In the 30th minute, Henry showed no mercy. He took advantage of a defensive error after a corner to head the ball home. Despite the goal, the match didn’t change much leading up to half time. Whilst strong in defence, Bar�a’s inability to create any play began to make the spectators impatient. In all this time, Marcelino Gracia’s team didn’t have one shot on target.

Surprise in the second half

The start of the second half was more entertaining, with Racing being more insistent, and with a near miss from a great shot by Deco in the 51st minute. Racing’s clearest chance arrived soon after, when Vald�s just managed to get a hand to a powerful shot by Serrano. In an attempt to recover the consistency of the first half, Rijkaard bought on M�rquez for Gudjohnsen.

Messi reappears

As Bar�a hadn’t been threatening Coltordi’s goal for a while, it was necessary to bring on a genius in intimidation: Leo Messi. It was the right moment. His entrance gave more depth and speed to Bar�a’s game, yet Racing’s defence held out till the end. But then so did Bar�a’s, keeping a clean sheet and winning three more vital league points.

Preview

Messi: second re-appearance against Racing

Last season, Leo Messi returned to the team against Racing after a three-month absence through injury. Today he has the chance to repeat this after a month’s absence.

High expectations

Jordi Clos

Bar�a hope to wrap up a great week against Racing de Santander (21:00, Canal + and Radio Bar�a). Messi, Oleguer and Pinto are the new additions to the squad.

Eight days ago, Rijkaard’s team began a decisive week, first with a game against Murcia, one of this year’s surprise teams. Then the return cup tie against Seville, and finally the start of the second half of the league against Racing. Also, Albert Jonquera’s replacement was still to be announced, and the sick room would hopefully start emptying.

Eight days have passed and the journey has been excellent. The team had a goal spree against Murcia and saw off Seville in the cup. Bar�a are now the only team left in the three competitions (the Spanish Cup, the Spanish League and the Champions League). And there was more good news to come. Goalkeeper Jos� Manuel Pinto, who kept the cleanest sheet in the 2005/06 season, was signed; and Leo Messi and Oleguer were back in the squad.

Three key additions

The Argentinean striker, one of the three key additions, was given the all-clear after the training session held at Nou Camp on Saturday morning. This is following nearly a five-week absence through injury.
Newly signed ex-Celta goalkeeper Jos� Manuel Pinto is another key addition, despite having only had one training session with his new team-mates. The third is Oleguer Presas, who returns after a two-month absence due to a hamstring injury.

Eto'o and Tour� Yaya will miss the game as they are both playing in the African Cup, and the other absentees are the injured Ronaldinho, Edm�lson, Ezquerro and Jorquera.

A rival on good form

Marcelino Garcia’s Racing de Santander arrive at Nou Camp on great form, although they have some notable absentees, including To�o, Munitis and Smolarek all through injury, and the suspended Ayoze.
However, Racing will be feeling confident after their resounding 4-2 Spanish Cup victory over Zaragoza , as well as winning their last two league games against Athletic (1-0) and away at Osasuna (0-2). As a result, Racing are now enjoying being sixth in the league.

Victory won’t be so easy for Bar�a, who will take the pitch knowing the result of the derby between leaders Real Madrid and third-placed Atletico Madrid.