Barça 2 Mallorca 3
Sunday, 11 May 08, 10:39 PM · Comments (33)
Barça played their last game at Camp Nou under Frank Rijkaard and managed to throw away a 2-0 lead to lose 2-3 in the last minute. Less than 40,000 turned up to see the game, and sections of the public showed their displeasure with Joan Laporta during the match and at the end when Dani Güiza scored Mallorca's third there was a bigger display of protests.
It is games such as this that makes a football fan want to give it all up. However, we should remember that there was nothing at stake for Barça tonight. What I find difficult to understand is that the crowd picked on Deco and especially Eto'o to vent their frustration. If Frank Rijkaard deserves respect for his overall achievements in five years then surely Deco and Eto'o deserve the same for being a core part of the team that won two Ligas and a Champions League. To be fair it was not that many people whistling them but whoever those fans were I would rather they stayed at home.
Barça played well for brief periods of the first half and in the 17th minute we took the lead. Messi went on a run past two players and when he tried to thread the ball through to Deco the ball broke off a defender to Henry who hit the ball home from the edge of the area.
However, the game was lacking intensity and only two fine saves from Pinto, substituting Valdés tonight, kept Barça in front. At half time Bojan came on for Deco and Messi switched to a free role in midfield. In the 56th minute Henry did well to rob the ball in midfield and he quickly combined with Eto'o to get away down the left, his cross found Messi whose first time volley was well saved by Moya but Eto'o was on hand to stab home Barça's second.
This made no difference to the critics who continued to whistle Eto'o every time he got the ball. After 62 minutes Rijkaard decided to give Messi a rest and brought on Giovani. Unfortunately with Messi off the field Barça fell to pieces. In the 67th minute Mallorca won a corner that wasn't and when the ball came out to Valero his shot took a deflection off Thuram that gave Pinto no chance.
Oleguer then came on for Zambrotta and three minutes later Mallorca equalized after Güiza received the ball in space only for Thuram to intervene, unfortunately the Frenchman's square clearance went straight to Webo who volleyed the ball into the ground and up over Pinto into the net. Eto'o had a good chance to put Barça back in front on 80 minutes but Moya did well to save. Then in the 93rd minute Güiza again found himself with time in the area to beat Pinto for the winner.
I suppose it was to be expected. The team were not playing badly but there was a lack of intensity that was not helped at all by the attitude of the crowd. What possesses some people to take a bed sheet to the ground in order to protest I will never understand. Even if there is nothing to play for if you go along to a game surely you want to see your team win. It seems some would rather lose so they can get on the telly waving their giant handkerchief.
Barça: Pinto 6, Zambrotta 6 (Oleguer m67, 5.5), Thuram 5.5, Puyol 6, Abidal 6.5; Edmilson 4.5, Toure 6, Deco 6 (Bojan m45, 5), Messi 7 (Giovani m62 5.5), Eto'o 5.5, Henry 6.
Goals: m17 Henry 1-0, m56 Eto'o 2-0, m67 Varela 2-1, m70 Webo 2-2, m93 Güiza 2-3.
Barça Yellows: m38 Thuram, m62 Edmilson, m92 Edmilson (=2=red)
Attendance: 39,928
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very funny club
alrite...so we have successfully managed to give away a 2 goal lead once again....what's next?? Loosing against Murcia?? Damnnn...I hate to say this, but this team is just not the same without MEssi...I can't wait for the next season..
Goodbye Rijkaard....
What to say... I'm sorry for Frank. Edmilson proved us once again that he shouldn't be playing.
There were a few positive moments in this game as well. Messi, need I say more? Pinto improved plenty from his last game. I had one thought in my head during this game, "Eto'o, score a goal and shut these so called fans the hell up". His goal was easily the moment of the match.
Why were "fans" whistling at Eto'o?
There is a well known rule in football... The first half is for the players... the second half is on the managers...
This game also proves that without Ronaldinho.. Franky is nothing
I'd guess because of that yellow he "intentionally" received to miss el clasico but who knows. Same with Deco.
I'll never understand some of Barca's fans
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And if you thought this season was bad..!!! wait for the next thrilling expisode...
Nic could u number the comments?