Copa Del Rey Final: Barça 4 Athletic Bilbao 1
Wednesday, 13 May 09, 02:30 PM · Comments (61)
Only Manchester United stand in the way of a historic treble for Football Club Barcelona. Despite going a goal down in the ninth minute, Barça hit back through Toure Yaya and then blew Athletic away with three second half goals in the space of ten minutes. It is three years since we last won a trophy, it is the first that we can celebrate on this blog on the second anniversary of its beginning. May it be the first of many.
Barça started the game slowly, with Atletic showing more aggression and winning the midfield battle. In the 8th minute a build up on the right ended with Javi Martinez whipping in a shot that Pinto did well to tip round the post. From the corner Toquero rose at the far post above the passivity of Xavi and Keita, and headed past Pinto. Barça struggled to respond and as in the game last week at Stamford Bridge the midfield of Xavi, Busquets and Keita failed to find the necessary creativity to breach the Athletic defence.
Our first chance came in the 19th minute when Piqué found Bojan on the right of the penalty area but Bojan hesitatedand ended up being forced to shoot from a tight angle giving Iraizoz no problem. A couple of minutes later Xavi sent a great ball through to Eto'o but again our forward took too long allowing the defence to get back and hustle him off the ball. We were really getting nowhere but just after the half hour we got the break we needed from an unlikely source. Toure, playing again in the defence was allowed to carry the ball forward in the Athletic half, he dribbled past a couple of weak challenges and then shot low from 25 yards beating Iraizoz at his near post.
Barça grew after the goal and Athletic were now getting nowhere near Pinto's goal. In the 33rd minute Messi went on a great run, played a pass inside the full-back to Alves but Alves shot across the face of the goal. Barça were dominating now and we began to knock the ball around in typical style. Then on the stroke of half time Alves came close with a free kick from over 30 yards out.
The second half was all one-way traffic. In the 48th minute Eto'o found Messi on the right-hand side of the area, Messi dribbled past a couple of defenders but his shot was blocked. Soon after Messi combined again with Eto'o but shot just wide with the outside of his left foot. Messi tried again in the 54th minute after a splendid move that started with Pinto. Messi's insistence finally paid off in the 55th minute, he played in Eto'o on the right, Eto'o's shot was turned out by Iraizoz but the ball came to Messi twelve yards out and he fired home tyhrough a sea of defenders.
Eto'o then had a great chance but he fired over when he could have lobbed the keeper but it didn't matter as Barça were now rampant. In the 58th minute Messi threaded a pass through to Bojan from the half way line and Bojan ran on, ignoring Eto'o who was free to his right, and picked his spot, in Thierry Henry style, shooting in off the far post.
Athletic were impotent to stop Barça now. And in the 64th minute Xavi banged the last nail into their coffin, curling home a free-kick from the left-side that went in off the near post. There was nothing more but for Barça to play out time with an exhibition of possession football. The only thing missing was a goal from Samuel Eto'o who missed two more good chances from inside the area. Alves had a free kick saved and there was even time for Hleb to try his luck but he seems destined never to score a goal for us.
At the end Carles Puyol collected the cup from King Juan Carles and the party on the pitch continued for a good half an hour after the final whistle. Pep Guardiola was thrown in the air by the players and his part in Barça's turnaround this season has been truly remarkable. The players and Guardiola deserved their party. This weekend we should be able to finally celebrate La Liga, and then we have time to prepare the Champions League Final in Rome.
This team deserve every success, some of the football played this season has been breathtaking. Players such as Messi, Iniesta and Xavi can all be placed in any list of the world's top ten players if not in the top five. They are superbly supported by the likes of Toure, Alves, Eto'o, Pique, Henry and Puyol. We have talked before about how good this team is, could it be the best Barça ever, or even the best team anywhere ever? I think the answer is quite possibly, we just need to wrap up La Liga and then beat Manchester United on May 27th to prove it.
Barça: Pinto 6.5; Alves 7, Toure 7.5 (Sylvinho m89), Piqué 7, Puyol 6.5; Xavi 7 (Pedro m88), Busquets 6.5, Keita 6.5; Messi 8, Bojan 7 (Hleb m84, 6), Eto'o 6.
Athletic: Iraizoz; Iraola, Ocio, Amorebieta, Koikili; Yeste, Orbaiz (Ion Velez m62), Javi Martínez, David López (Susaeta m59); Toquero (Etxeberria m62), Llorente.
Goals: m9 Toquero 0-1, m31 Toure 1-1, m55 Messi 2-1. m58 Bojan 3-1, m64 Xavi 4-1.
Yellow cards: m22 Toure, m30 David Lopez, m36 Koikili, m50 Messi, m50 Keita.
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61 Comments · Add yours
Fantastic to win the first trophy of the season!! I wasn't able to watch because I'm at work, but tracked the match online.
Congrats Nic on the first title reported since FCB News inception! Congrats also to all the die-hard Barça fans who form the FCB News community. I know I don't comment very often, but I read the blog daily. It's great as an American who has very few friends who even follow football to have a place to go where Barça is discussed in detail (and in English). Thanks Nic and the rest for being a lifeline to everything blaugrana!
¡¡ Força Barça !!
Nic,
looks like it is just me and you following the cup!!!
Congratulations to you and the entire Blaugrana Nation. This is fantastic!!!!
Visca Barca
Congragulation to all you mates
It wasn't an easy game but we won the cup.It's great.Some were saying Eto'o is the best CF in the world,I wonder do those still feel that way?
Eto'o Eto'o Eto'o I cant recall when was a last time he scored.Another huge disapointment.So many an realised chances it's an beliveble.If he will have as good chances as he had today in CL and will not score I whant him out. Bojan will do just fine with messi,xavi,inesta,toure around him.
Enjoy the win
Barca for treble
Nic, nic is the King's name Juan CarlOs or is it Juan CarlEs???!! I sense A little Catalan conversion there!!! honest mistake or have you become a "Britalan" or British-Catalan!!!
Ha ha. Diatus you are correct. It should be King Juan Carlos
Again, please leave Eto'o alone!!!!He shut everyone up all year by netting 28 yet some want to crucify him for missing a few...I just don't get it!!!They all miss...Messi, Henry, Xavi, Iniesta...all of them.Please, just relax and enjoy the win!!!
Did you guess notice that every time we are down by one goal we end up Celebrating specially in the last month. First Madrid then Chelsae now Tonight. I love every minute of that match it was beautiful football. @ Barca Fan in the house Eto'o scored in the Villarreal game. And he is Barca's Top scorer. What else could you ask. He is just tired from a very long season done perfectly thankfully we have other world class strikers that could cover for him. Sell Him NO WAY ! Besides he has been there for us for sometime now even when we weren't there for him.
just discovered this blog recently, found it excellent, so I think it's suiting to leave my first comment on such a beautiful night.
I was in Barcelona sunday night, so am a bit pissed to see all this people at Canaletes, but in the same time enjoy it so much!
I think the team had an excellent game, the pressure we put on them was much more than Athletic could handle. Keita and Busquets were excellent in the middle, responding to their critics after the Chelsea game. It was great to see Keita and Eto'o combine so well, here is something Guardiola could think to use again in another final. As for the Cameroonese, how dare you criticize him (particularly on such a night of victory for the whole team)? Yes he is going through a trully horrible patch in front of the goal, but his workrate is unparalleled and Barça would be nothing near the top without his defensive job. He was on the whole front of the attack tonight, right, left and center, and it was one of his crossings that led to the goal of Messi.
So good to see Puyol lift the cup, what a golazo! from Toure, and Guardiola... So many many thanks to Guardiola...
Come on Barça, kill MU and you will be legend to the eyes of the world, as for me the team of this year already owns the number one place in my heart, and I have a feeling this will be for a long time.
Thanks for the blog and congrats again for the good job, and a good night to all of you Barça fans!
"Ser del Barça es el millor que hi ha!"
Great game. Manage to catch the last 20 mins. If anyone has a link to the full game I'd appreciate it. Man all those goals were world class from.
Highlights
LINK
Fredegar,
why did you leave Barcelona...should have stayed for the week...this is THE BEST WEEK EVER TO BE IN BARCELONA!!!!
Anyway, welcome to the forum!!!
Nevermind. Found the full match replay.
LINK
great game!!!!
@Fredegar ya...u r right its not a night to criticise anyone in the team...good team work first trophy after long time...cheers!!!
@Joe_Henry ...i was saying to another fan today that...we have made it regular winning the match from a goal behind...there were couple other important matches this season i can remember...1st in villereal...osasuna...real mallorca..etc....may be players love to play with our emotion as well....
anyway...i was watching full celebration program...cool...
What a win, hopefully its the start of the treble!!! I watched the game online and the quality was'nt the best but the quality of Bojans finish was exquisite! I thought he screwed it up at one stage but then bang in off the post, great finish off the post.
Toure!!!! his footwork is awesome for a guy so big. That goal was brilliant, I remember him scoring a screamer in a friendly a year ago aswell, he has got a cannon of a right foot.
I was watching the celebrations and the team collecting the trophy and their medals but I noticed Abidal and Henry standing down on the pitch when the others went up to collect their medals (small trophies) and I was wondering did they go up and collect them or is there a rule in the Copa that a player has to play a certain amount of minutes to collect a medal like in the champions league??? Also I did'nt see Iniesta, Marquez or Milito there, did anyone see them? Granted the quality of the feed I was getting was'nt the best and it kept stalling so maybe I just missed them.
Here we go, the TREBLE is on the way!!!
BARCA BARCA BARCA!!!!!
Aupa Athletik! Atleast we made it to the finals and lost to a good team.
Oso ondo...Athletik
Lon-A-Barca ....u r right..they did not..i also watched the whole program..they were just unlucky not to have that....so far i know u have to be in the 15 men squad to get that....i mean main 11 and subs can only get those....
bojan's finish was awesome although i was very disappointed at him upto that..he lost every physical battle upfront and missed long passes and high balls in the air....the goal is simply true class...i still believe he can be sent to some other league for a loan to gain some experience...he is not getting enough match experience here..and i don think he will get next season too....
anyway....1 out of 3 so far...cheeers!!!!
CONGRATS to everyone on this blog and barca fans all round the world, a trophy to lick after 2 barren years
very nice to see some names that have been followers of this blog for log but usually dont comment, u are as valuable as the usual commenters(i always wondered who wered ghosts voting in the polls)
@barca fan in the house
i really dont understand u. After wjst lifted a trophy, seems u more happy that eto missed chances than barca won....BARCA lifted their 1st trophy in 3 yrs and u complaining abt one f d smalest issues of the outcome. also, if eto misses 20 free posts from now till the end of the season and dosent score again, i still regard him to be the best strika in the world, he ha overproven himself
on the match itself, i couldnt watch it but have felt it already(highlights and reports)
i really wish iniesta, henry and marquez were available for the team, they've all worked as hard as possible for this success
jst read barca's best player of the season debate on goal.com, i think toure should have been a strong candidate, this is a player ready to die for us. he rules over everything in our own half of the pitch
once again...CONGRATS
on a second thought, @barca fan in the house, CONGRATS for the victory, not in the mood to spoil any barca fan's mood
oopss...@Mexi-Basque athletic played very well in first half...but its true we were too deserving...of course u are far better than so called madrid team....good luck....
Xavi takes a freekick..and we score...
Please Xavi..take more!! Alves shouldn't be close to taking them IMO - as much as I love Alves.
Great win...enjoy boys!
ya...i just saw it....Barca player of the season(goal.com)....i would definitely go for Messi...and i even don think it necessary to put any argument in support of him....
F-yeah!
I'm so happy. I only caught the second half, but I liked what I saw. And I also enjoyed seeing the highlights of Toure run through Athletic and score from way out. Clutch play in the game.
I thought this one could easily get away from us. But we came through like champions. Congrats everyone!
Just finish off the league (hopefully getting 5 more goals, is it?) and then have one of our most challenging matches against Man U (esp. because of the defensive losses...). But hey, if ever there was a team to do it it's this one...
After all, we weren't supposed to make it to the CL final after the draw...two draws where we're playing away in the second leg. Then, not scoring at the Camp Nou against Chelsea, we were supposed to go out. And after Essien's goal, everyone knew we were going out.
And there was all that talk about Real beating us and cutting it to 1...oh, 52 points from 54...blah blah blah.
Everytime we faced our greatest difficulties this season we have risen to the challenge when it has been most needed. I think we can finish it that way.
oh boy it felt good to finally see the team liftin a cup after 2 arid years...God i wish I was in Barcelona right now...Seein those ppl jumpin in la plaza catalunya made me feel so jealous...Congrats to all Barca fans...We all deserve it...
Messi was amazing...IT was another subdued performance in the first half, but boy did he show up in the second half...Xavi had another sick game in the mid...Bojan was average overall apart from that wonderful goal he scored..and Toure was a beast..What a goal that was...Really, he is the big Messi...His dribbling skills are just extraordinary for a guy of his size..
and barca fan in the house....i was very disappointed with Sammy not convertin those chances but still, he remains the best CF for me...he is obviously on a rough patch, but he will find his form again...even when he doesn't score, he is still very important cuz he runs like crazy and usually is the first defender...We wouldn't be the same team without Etoo...Havin said that, he shoulda converted at least 1 of those 3 or 4 clear cut chances...
Finally, props to Barca fans that were in MEstalla...They were boisterous...Hopefully, we will see the same spirit against ManUre..
Viva Barca...
any link to a video sdepicting the tropy hoisting process, i've only been able to get the highlights
darren, alves scored his against villareal
i think they both know when to hit it
Layibiyi, check out these links.
LINK
Anyone got a link to the celebrations? I want to see the players be rewarded does everyone one in the squad receive a medal? (Iniesta, Henry and Marquez)
I initially thought we were going to struggle because of Iniesta's injury and also with Messi and Eto'o not being at their best for the last month now.
Good to see Messi showed up the second half he without a doubt is the best in the world I was having some doubts but thankfully I was proven wrong hopefully he can pull in a strong performance in Rome.
Eto'o really is worrying me he can't miss chances like that in Rome if he does then goodbye to the treble everyone is hoping for.
Yaya Toure is the most under rated player in our squad I feel he is the best DM in the world his dribbling/ball control is really impressive.
I also though Keita played a good game. I still don't understand why the coach won't take our important players off when games our won!
I thought he would have learned with Iniesta's injury!
I still think he should play Yaya in his proven position and put Caferas in CB in Rome.
Barcelona really need to work on defending against crosses.
i'm really a bit confused. win one more game and this season could be called the best ever. and it's pep's first year coaching in the top flight.
yet everyone (read: a lot of people) is continually questioning his substitution decisions. what, should he start doing? what everyone else that isn't as good as us does? so we can have results like them?
also, for some players, like Messi, it is probably really significant for them to play this whole game. Messi has never played in a final for Barca before so I'm sure this meant a lot to him.
heaven forbid that our top players want to play soccer.
also, we've had very few injuries this entire year even though Pep has been fairly consistent with his subbing policy. i've heard that they're actually using some sort of device that gives a warning when a player is more at risk of an injury (wave-o-meter, or something...maybe urban legend, maybe voodoo...). Iniesta and Marquez are really the only two to mention in terms of time missed (Milito carries over from last year's injury plagued campaign and it's still to be seen if Henry's is all that serious).
i think if we're honest we'll admit that often times injuries just happen. they can happen right at the beggining of a game, middle, or the end. they can happen in training. they can happen walking down the stairs. there are things we can do to be careful, but i'm not sure that playing 15 minutes less is the answer.
Diatus,
, fuck it. Anyway enjoy it there!
I would have wanted to stay of course if it wasn't for this small matter of, you know, working
Caleb,
I totally agree with your post, I'm often left scratching my head at Pep's decisions, but his results put him just out of touch of any criticism, when I think that, wasn't it for Laporta, we could have ended with Mourinhoooo, my god Thannk you, thank you for Guardiola!!!
Well done Barca. One cup to go, anf it's the most important one! It's the cup that will determine where the Footballer of the year trophy ends up as well IMO.
We NEED the champions league, two champions league trophies is not good enough for a club like Barca. I have faith in the team and Pep and to all you Eto'o haters go somewhere else. He has won us many games this year and created Messi's goal last night, c'mon. He is a team player.
We should keep him and extend his contract. He is ready to die for the team. He works hard. Arrrrrrrrrrgggggg, why am I even justifying it. He is just the best.
Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't this the first thing we had won since this blog has started
. Just want to Congratulate you Nic for the Fantastic Job you have done. Not only did you make a blog to tell the world what you think about Barca. But also you made a place fro all of us Barca fan to tell our opinion. One down two to go ! FORCA BARCA !
Watched the match and because of the quality of play, I just wanted it to last on and on and on.
The whole team played well including Eto'0. All thesame, Barca has won 1/3 of the titles. As for me, I am 100% sure of our UEFA champions league. We'll all lift the trophy and its coming to Spain.
I just cant help to say, I'm a fan of the best team in the world.
Thumbs up to Guardiola... He's a good Manager.
I'm a Barca fan for life...
guess ill weigh in a bit. very saddly i wasnt able to watch the game thanks to some network decisions from sky and goal. i have it recorded and will watch it in a few weeks time.
but im super chuffed with the victory and from what i read, after a shaky start we came back guns blazing and really seemed to perform well. its never been a trophy well regarded in spain, but i think that is changing now, so well done to us, the incredible team we have accumulated, and the great work by guardiola. we have won smething now. and again, seeming as nobody took note before, LAPORTA for his bravery and vision in selecting pep. he deserves much praise.
ive seen here a bit and a little on another blog that etoo is getting stick. and i must say its disgraceful. how can fans turn on a player because he has hit a slump in the last few weeks? its pathetic. you could probably count on one hand the number of forwards that get +20 goals a year in the league, and etoo WILL be one of those fingers. honestly, he is more upset and aware about not finishing than all of us combined. his work ethic is also second to none, always has been and always will be. and he creates many goals. i was actually watching an avi of messi's first 50 goal for us, and it was incredible how about 5 of them happened from etoo chasing down defenders and nicking the ball.
@darren: lol fully agree with ur comment on freekicks. it shocks me to no end how many alves has taken this year. everytime he steps up i just burry my head and sigh. he has scored 2 this yr i think, but from honestly 50 attempts or so. he must slot them in practice, no other explanation to the team and pep allowing him. but xavi is way more accurate from close range and should be the primary candidate. saying that henry use to slot quite a few in his english days, wonder if he should get a look in.
finally, if anything i do question guardiola's hesitance to not make subs sometimes. it is a bit puzzling
@ neuro11,
Not only that Messi is the club's player of the year but he will also be FIFA P.O.Y. and the winner of the Bal D'Or and all the other individual awards . I would like to see Iniesta and Xavi get some recognition too !!
hey!im cyrus from philippines. i dream to watch my fave team since birth and i want to watch them in the champions league final in rome!can someone lend me money!!!!pls pls..cyrusbelches@yahoo.com
Wohoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo......
Like I was reading somewhere today...One down Two To Go.
Right now I don't care about our flaws and am going to shut down my critic software until the end of the season. We can argue all we want during the summer....
I'm just so happy we sealed our first silverware of the season and hopefully we'll get the second on the weekend and the crown jewel in Rome on the 27th.
Nic -
Any fallout over the Toure celebrations? I didn't know much about it but I hear he really did a disgraceful celebration in front of the Basque supporters? Can you comment on this?
Darren
@Darren
I don't think that his celebration was too bad. One has tto understand that him doing that (Corte de Managas) was incited by Bilbao fans. Of course, they all have to be professionals, but those fans even threw a bottle that hit Alves on the head. So, it just goes to show how much they hated our guts. Especially, after they were at the receiving end of such a behaviour in Betis last year...remember?
I also greatly appreciated Eto'o action after that. He stopped, smiled and apologized to that section of thee stadium on his teammates behalf: that's leadership. Eto'o has really impressed me this year and I have to give Pep and Xavi credit for that. But Yaya was just passionate about putting his big foot down and drawing a line in the sand.
Why what did Yaya do? I watched the game and I didnt notice anything out of the ordinary.
Not much else to discuss except that the team was fantastic
i saw part of the 1st half and the entire 2nd half and sometimes felt sorry for athletic players..they seemed so hopeless..and ours showed no mercy, which is good.
About Yaya, well, in Spain unfortunately racism in football in no longer an issue. TV didn't even mention that athletic supporters were making racist abuse when the teams were warming up. It was more important, apparently, that the queen&king were booed (which OBVIOUSLY going to happen) than fans abusing players becuase of their color. It's a disgrace, but as i've said before, nobody cares about it anymore. And when someone does (like Eto'o), then he's "violent" or "polemic" or some stupidity like that.
@FCB-Holland...ya u right...all just crying...messi din won anything for club...now let see wht they say....
@Darren....i din notice anything odd was done by yaya after scoring...but i saw eto apologized to fans...so may be yaya was wrong with something. I like barca for soccer alson for the examples they create and thats why other teams players are more respectful than any other team. Just like after winning whole barca team showed honour to athletic fans going to their end,and eto apolosizing for yaya event.so yaya better not do anything like that.
other than the bottle throwing ... athletic fan were fantastic..i liked their attitude...even when the game is over...
there caused a serious issue about the incident that fans were whistling during national anthem and the channel did not broadcast it so. later TVE director sacked for this...
LINK
anyone know why fans did it??dont they like King or national anthem...can anyone clear the confusion....
did you guys read the news that we might offter 70 mils + Etoo for IBra?? I hope it's not true...if it is, we are makin a huge mistake...Please keep Etoo...if we have to sell etoo, then get villa...screw Ibra...He is not worth that kinda money..
Ya I just read that on goal.com Mav. Definately agree that if anyone was to come to replace Eto'o it should be Villa only. Definately should stay away from Ibra.
On Toure - after his goal he gave two "cortes de manga" ( a gesture where the right arm moves up in a boxing uppercut movement while the left arm comes down across the inside of the right elbow) to the Athletic fans. This is an equivalent gesture to giving the middle finger and basically means "f**k you". I've heard nothing yet of a possible punishment but I wouldn't be surprised if he is punished
@mav,
yeah, i read that too. that would be a terrible deal. the more i've thought about it the more it seems like we should keep Eto'o and try to start working Bojan in more.
i'm not opposed to ideas of Villa (not sure anyone else would fit Barca very well), but in the end it could mean a season of adjusting like is so often the case. it may be better to stick with the status quo.
that being said, what about Hleb? is he definitely going out? him and Guddy seemed so forlorn after winning the cup...like they were forced to go to someone other kid's birthday party.
i almost wonder if Hleb couldn't be like Henry and just need a season to get used to things...after all, he has to adjust to La Liga from the EPL (funny that you never hear English news sources talking about that kind of idea...).
he really was quality at Arsenal. and he played well in center mid sometimes...creative and what not. the type of player that could slot in for iniesta when Iniesta's hurt or moved up to the left wing...but maybe it's not to be.
Guddy can go, in my opinion. he's never looked comfortable with a short passing game, which is so much of Barca. and i don't think he's going to get the playing time he wants here without a massive injury wave...
uefa defense of the year:
ALVES ,PIQUE ,VIDIC ,EVRA
who wants to debate?
peace out!
Ozone
Dear Friends Cheak out this picture the proves that Maloda pushed Abidal and forced him to fall LINK . And this one that shows that Yaya got the ball before and Drogba is a Diver LINK !
Guddy can def go. Hleb depends on the situation with Ribery; if Hleb will help to make the deal happen then make it happen. If, on the other hand, Ribery ends up at Madrid or Utd then I would keep Hleb and get Silva. Hleb is a quality player, there is no doubting that, he just hasnt had his chance to shine yet.
As for Ibra, what a ludicrous story and the source is one of the most unreliable trashy papers in Italy so dont pay it much attention. I have said this before, I would only swap Eto'o for Villa or Torres, the latter being impossible. Villa would fit in perfectly, wouldnt need much time to adapt and would score a boatload of goals. Compared to Eto'o, he is more clinical, his touch is better and he scores more outrageous goals....Eto'o works harder though. Ibra is tall and strong, which is great, but he is a premadona and that is the last thing we need. I am happy to keep Eto'o tbh, those ppl complaining about him need to realise the man is 28, he has played a crazy number of games this season and he has worked his ass off in every single game. He has scored plenty of goals and will continue to do so. This is a dry spell that every single striker goes through, especially when they are tired both mentally and physically.
We do however need a plan B, a tall strong striker who is willing to spend some time on the bench and that man is Llorente. I am convinced he would be an amazing signing for us. Also being in the same league he wouldn't need a lot of time to adapt.
YAY barca the best
campeones
Happy Celebrating Cules
, the start of history.
This is where we witness greatness. Barca are Champions of the cup!
1 point to win the double 5 goals to be the record league scorers, yes please.
1st Barca title celebrated on this blog, this is truley a season of records. Thanks Nic for everything
Toure what a goal and what a player
Viva Barca!!
To me the two most important moments of the game was Athletic Bilbao's goal and Barça's first goal .
Athletic's goal proves Barça's biggest defensive weakness: the inability to defend set piece plays (crosses,corners and free kicks) . We need to do much better against Manchester United and other clubs from the Long Ball League .
The second important moment of the game was Yaya's equalizing goal . Not his Messi-esque move but his audacity to shoot the ball from outside the penalty area . We need to do more of this in the CL final to loosen up MU and their all familiar how to stop Barça strategy : park the bus . MU will park the bus against us . They are NOT stupid to play Barça the same way they play any other club in Europe . They know if they do they will lose . Guardiola needs a plan B to counter MU anti-football approach . I don't want to dwell on Yaya's goal too much but we need to shoot the damn ball from outside from time to time !!
I agree with u FCB-Holland...honestly i think manu is one of the best in set pieces...they are simply good in corners and they have more than one free kick taker with fantastic accuracy......unfortunately their strong point is our weakest one....anyway....but i feel it would not be bad to have a screamer in the team...i don whether ts impossible or not...but defeating Man U with our plan A only ....might be a tough job...at least....
one thing i can see is once we get our first goal...we dominate the game no matter how strong the opponent is...and truly it would be difficult to comeback against Man u once we concede goal first...they are typical english team and Fergie is more experienced than hiddink and he will never allow barca playing traditional...game....
i think its time to have a different strategy atleast upto scoring first goal...
I'm not so scary of this "plan B" thing, we already have it in the team as Pep line it, and it worked wonders against Bilbao. Fergie will put a team that will be designed to block our midfield and to put pressure on the first passer, as did Hiddink. I think that's why Pep didn't play Puyol in the first leg against Chelsea, and put Toure in defense in the second leg and against Bilbao, and will probably do so in the CL final. If you have only one central defender who can pass the ball, then a high pressing can be very efficient, but if you have two, you cancel this weapon of your opponent. Plus, if Manchester can somehow block our midfield, we have two defenders who can carry the ball upfield and even take a chance at goal.
It carried us out of the hole against Bilbao, THIS is the plan B you ask for, i bet Fergie has nightmares of this Yaya golazo...
Nic - thanks for the info re Toure. I didn't know much about it, hopefully he won't get in too much trouble for it. Glad that Eto'o did a great act and tried to smooth it over too.
Not surprised that the King Anthem got booed, no surprise that a Basque and Catalan filled stadium would boo!!
Bismillah !!!!! Here is the first title
It was really fnatastic and fascinating !!!!! Did u see how Barça stayed calm and hopeful ?????
That's really the spirit that we lacked .
The number of Basque fans was abnormal !!!!! I think both the clubs have equal number of tickets but the stadium was full Belbao fans .So how come ?????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!! Barca finally got a trophy! The Guys were unstoppable!
Good luck with Man United!
congratulations to all barca fans.More of this to come
@Itri: Spanish Football Association gave more tickets to Basque Association than they did to Catalan Association. It was, indeed, disgusting. But that's how they do things there. But their little strategy wasn't successful
@neuro11,
Good points . As you mentioned , the key is to score first . If we do , MU will panick and try to score quickly and this could play in Barça's hands . A second goal by Barça could put the game out of reach . Howevr if MU score first , they will immediately close shop and have eight or nine players to defend . This situation can put pressure on us and make our players lose patience . A second goal on the counter attack or a pure luck will make things very predictable ; one way traffic towards MU goal but they have a solid defence an a good goalkeeper . I predict that the team who scores first will probably end up winning the game . There is no margin for errors here . Our players need to concentrate and NOT waste any easy chances as it happens week in and week out . MU will not give us too many easy chances . We have to make our chances and convert them . For Barça to win , both Messi and Eto'o must bring their A game especially with the uncertaintity about Iniesta and Henry !!
@FCB-Holland,
I think you're exactly right. If they score first there's still a slim chance of us coming back, but it would have to be something miraculous like against Chelsea. We need to limit their chances and their half chances and try to keep all the play in their half. If we score first it will be equally difficult for them to get back in it...but there will probably be more goals. If they score first, look for 1-0 or 1-1.
we really do need something special from Messi and Eto'o.
and a perfect game from Xavi could be the key. It might be one of his passes that cracks Man U's defense.