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Match
Marcador del partit
- Date: Sunday, 14 Feb
- Competition: ???label.competicio0???
- Stadium: Vicente Calderón, Madrid
Resultat:
- At.Madrid: 2
- FC Barcelona: 1
Match report
Match Report
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Goals
1-0 Forlán (min 8)
2-0 Simao (min 22)
2-1 Ibrahimovic (min 26)
Barça lose unbeaten record (2-1)
Jordi Clos
FC Barcelona were beaten for the first time in the league this season by Atlético de Madrid on Sunday evening after Diego Forlán and Simão Sabrosa netted for the hosts in the Vicente Calderón.
In what proved to be an absorbing encounter Pep Guardiola's team were unable to mount a comeback
despite Zlatan Ibrahimovic's goal reducing the arrears midway throuh the firs half. The Blaugrana
had to rearrange their starting line-up due to the lengthy injury list and Jeffren Suárez was asked
to play in an unfamiliar role at right-back, while Gaby Milito partnered Carles Puyol in the centre
of defence and Maxwell was on the left. Despite those changes few would have expected Atlético to
make such a strong start against a team that had not lost in the league this term and had not been
beaten away from home in all competitions.
Bright start
Things did not begin well for the visitors as Seydou Keita was forced out of the action in
only the second minute and had to be replaced by Pedro. The problems were compounded after eight
minutes when Forlán made a diagonal run to meet a pass behind the Barça defence before slotting
past the approaching Víctor Valdés. Puyol, who was outstanding, ensured that Atlético did not
double their advantage soon after with a great block on Sergio Agüero. The defender could do little
to stop the home team scoring a second though as former Barça star Simão curled a free-kick over
the wall and into the far corner with 22 minutes on the clock.
Goals galore
Guardiola's team needed to bounce back and they were able to find a way into the game just
four minutes after conceding a second. A corner was flicked on at the near post and Ibrahimovic was
unmarked at the far post to volley home. That proved to be a turning point as Barça raised their
game after that and the script was written that Atlético were able to sit back with two banks of
four and leave their opponents to have to find a way through them. Agüero kept Barça's defence
guessing with a shot that Valdés saved well while Ibrahimovic tested young David de Gea at the
other end.
No comeback
In the second period Atletíco had their moments as Agüero and Forlán continued to probe, but
it was the away team that sought to ask all the questions in a game in which they had been behind
at half-time for the first time this term. Guardiola changed the dynamic with the withdrawal of
Xavi but it proved to be unsuccessful as his replacement Bojan Krkic could not help the team find
an equaliser.
Preview
5-2 in first meeting
When the sides met at the Camp Nou earlier this season, there were as many goals as ever in these matches. But five of the seven were scored by Barça. The men on target were Messi (2), Ibra, Alves and Keita.
The football fair
Jordi Clos
Barça tonight visit Atlético Madrid (21.00, Canal + and R@dio Barça) in what is always one of the most spectacular and unpredictable games of the season. The leaders have serious problems in defence, with several players either suspended or injured.
Former Atlético manager Javier Aguirre defined Atlético Madrid v Barça matches as “a
fair” this week. Recent scorelines include 0-6, 4-2 and 4-3 and fans will be hoping for yet
more thrills as the teams renew their rivalry this evening. This has not been an easy trip in
recent years for FCB, for they have only won once at the Vicente Calderón in a decade of attempts.
The reigning champions are still unbeaten in the League after 21 games and need the three
points tonight to maintain their lead of five points on Real Madrid, who won last night 0-3 away to
Xerez.
Defensive uncertainties
The talking point this week has been the serious problems Barcelona have
at the back. Piqué and Márquez are both suspended, while Alves, Touré, Abidal and Chygrynskiy are
all injured, so Guardiola has only three first team defenders at his disposal, namely Maxwell,
Milito and Puyol. So, tonight he will either have to drop a midfielder back into the defence, or
use one of the two reserve team players he has named in his squad: Muniesa and Bartra.
These are not the only Barça Atlètic players making the trip, for midfielder Jonathan dos
Santos was also named in the travelling party.
Cup finalist
Atlético Madrid’s morale is on a high this week after what has
been a poor season by their standards. The ten-year wait is over, and they are back in the Copa del
Rey final. This week their UEFA Cup campaign begins against Galatasaray, giving Quique Sánchez
Flores’ side the chance to put their league woes behind them. They are currently way down in
thirteenth place and have the fifth worst defensive record in the championship (34), though they
are also one of the highest scoring (31). With Forlán and Agüero up front, anything is possible
where the mattress makers are concerned.
Match Links
- Sporting Gijón1-1Valencia CF
- Xerez C.D.0-3Real Madrid
- Villarreal CF2-1Athletic Club
- RCD Espanyol2-0Deportivo
- Getafe CF2-2UD Almería
- Racing0-3Málaga CF
- R. Valladolid1-1Zaragoza
- Sevilla FC1-0Osasuna
- At.Madrid2-1FC Barcelona
- CD Tenerife1-0RCD Mallorca
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