Pages

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Barcelona 1-1 Real Madrid (Agg 3-1)



Barcelona comfortably advanced to the Champions League final after a 1-1 draw at home to fierce rivals Real Madrid at the Nou Camp tonight.

After a completely one-sided first half for the first time in Madrid, goalkeeper Iker Casillas kept his side in the game, Pedro gave Pep Guardiola nine minutes into the second period.

Marcelo soon hit back with a much better Madrid 10 minutes later, but the Catalans have never looked in too much pain and will face Manchester United or Schalke in the final later this month, which sees return to the scene of their first European Cup triumph in 1992.

Madrid, with two goals from last Wednesday, bad-tempered match at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium gone, missing suspended pair of Pepe and Sergio Ramos.

José Mourinho, was also banned, called the attack line-up, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Angel Di Maria and Gonzalo Higuain all sides.

But when the good start which saw promising striker Ronaldo to do some works, Barca began to dominate.

Ricardo Carvalho, who missed the first game of a suspension, cut a dangerous ball from Lionel Messi in the 20th minute and moments later Casillas saved comfortably from Sergio Busquets, who left a header in the defense of Madrid.

Casillas then made a double save to deny Messi and must have been relieved when the Argentine shot wide before a minute later.

The goalkeeper then Spain has done well to keep Messi low disk, but produces even better save from David Villa's curling effort that was heading towards the far corner.

Madrid just get a vacuum and things could have been worse a minute before the hour when Carvalho - already booked - hacked by Messi.

The referee waved play, to the dismay of the crowd Nou Camp, in what was the last real action in the first period.

Madrid improved after the break but Barca took the lead as the visitors had sought to make some progress.

The goal was all about Andres Iniesta, who played a ball through the defense division fabulous Pedro Casillas clinical low finish ahead of Tenerife, born in the corner "in the bottom right.

Karanka then was sent to Emmanuel Adebayor and Mesut Ozil for Kaka and Gonzalo Higuain, as Madrid has acquired a more direct approach.

Despite the goal, not much has really changed: Madrid needs three to pass.

There was an immense joy, just before the end of Eric Abidal has been to make his first appearance since returning from an operation on the rumor of a tumor in his liver Mars.

But there was more noise a few minutes later when the final whistle to confirm Barca's Champions League as finalists for the third time in six years.

Catalan is now trying to repeat the victory of 1992 and fourth in the European Cup a total success that they return to Wembley on May 28.

No comments:

Post a Comment