All Bar�a�s football

Match

Marcador del partit

Date: Saturday, 12 Apr
Competition: ???label.competicio0???
Stadium: Nuevo Colombino, Huelva

Resultat:

Recreativo: 2
FC Barcelona: 2

Match report

Match Report
Pre-Match

Match Report

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Goals

0-1 Eto’o (1’)
1-1 Rub�n (41’)
1-2 Eto’o (46’)
2-2 Rub�n (70’)

Draw in adversity (2-2)

Jordi Clos

Bar�a, with players missing and a �goal that never was� by Recreativo, got a draw at the Nuevo Colombino after Eto�o had twice given them the lead.

After an exciting game full of chances, Bar�a dropped two points away at Recreativo de Huelva. The Catalans had a lot of players missing but still managed to take the lead twice thanks to Eto’o. However two strikes by Marco Rub�n, the first of which didn’t cross the line, levelled the scores. Leo Messi’s reappearance and a late onslaught couldn’t prevent the League slipping a little further away.

Eto’o strikes first

With lots of strikers sidelined through injury, Bar�a took to the field with an unusual attacking line-up featuring Ezquerro (back in the starting XI in the League after 14 months), Giovani and Eto’o. The three began the game well as a cross in the first minute from Giovani on the right was headed home by Eto’o between the two Recreativo central defenders. This early goal really got the match going and first Sinama and then Xavi had chances for both sides. The Catalan midfielder and Gudjohnsen playing up the middle kept play in Recreativo’s half of the pitch.

Recreativo put on the pressure

The game cooled down a bit after Marco Rub�n fired just over the bar in the 13th minute from the edge of the box. Little by little Recreativo managed to neutralise the Bar�a midfield and they started to push up and create chances. However, most of their attacks were dealt with effectively by the Barcelona defence including when Milito cut out a cross heading for Sinama in front of Vald�s’s goal (39’).

‘Goal that never was’

Next came the second goal of the game. Vald�s stopped Marco Rub�n’s header right on the goal line but the referee said the ball had crossed it and gave a goal, much to the amazement of the Bar�a players. They immediately stormed right back and Giovani was put through on the Recreativo goal by Eto’o in stoppage time only to see the Andalusians’ keeper palm the ball away.

Eto’o does it again

Frank Rijkaard’s men came out for the second half just as fired up as they had been at the start of the first and again Eto’o found the net in the first minute, firing home from 20 yards into the top right-hand corner. But in spite of that psychological boost Bar�a were unable to take control of the match and Recreativo gradually worked their way back into it. Vald�s was first forced to make a save at point-blank range from Sinama (59’) and then blocked a piledriver from Martins with some difficulty right on the goal line.

Unexpected equaliser

The three points were in the balance and Leo Messi had to come on. The Argentine international replaced Giovani in the 64th minute and immediately created danger in the Recreativo penalty area on three successive occasions. Yet just when Bar�a looked more likely to score, the home side equalised as Marco Rub�n once again headed home at the far post from a very narrow angle after Vald�s had slipped (70’).

Running out of steam and resources, Bar�a were not able to threaten their opponents’ goal again save for when Recreativo keeper Sorrentino cleared the ball straight to Messi and a series of desperate long balls pumped into the box just before the end.

Preview

3-0 in the Camp Nou

In the game between the two sides in the first half of the season, FC Barcelona won a clear cut victory over Recreativo de Huelva who are now lying 17th in the League. On 24 November Milito, Bojan and Messi (pen) all found the net as Bar�a beat the Andalusians 3-0 .

Now for the League

Roger Boguny�

After winning their Champions League tie and reaching the semi-finals of the competition, today Bar�a are playing in Huelva (10 pm, live on Telecinco and R@dio Bar�a) and have to switch back to thinking about the League.

Beating Recreativo would put FC Barcelona 4 points behind the leader. That makes it into a crunch match after the team has won only one of its last six League fixtures. However, the players are optimistic as they haven’t conceded a goal in their last three matches and Leo Messi is also back after being sidelined for five weeks with a torn left thigh muscle.

No Henry, Bojan or Iniesta

In spite of the return of Messi and Ezquerro and V�ctor V�zquez being in the squad, it’s not all good news for Bar�a. Three players who have normally been in the starting line-up in recent games - Henry, Bojan and Iniesta – have not travelled to Huelva because of injury.

Forward line with changes

Their absence means that Frank Rijkaard will have to make changes in attack this Saturday. Henry and Bojan have started the team’s last six matches, so now Giovani, Ezquerro, V�zquez, Gudjohnsen and Messi will have to cover those two vacancies. Rijkaard will also need to find a replacement for Iniesta in midfield, as the player is a fixture in Bar�a’s starting XI.

Mental readjustment

Apart from all the tactical considerations the team will have to take on board, the players will also have to switch back into League mode after getting through to the semi-finals of the Champions League where they will take on Manchester United as the last barrier to an appearance in the final in Moscow. Wednesday was a very good result, but now the League is the priority and the side have to forget about Europe. Bar�a are still in with a shout in the League and getting to within four points of Madrid this Saturday is the best way of advancing the Catalans’ cause.