FC Barcelona News
Barcelona crashes out of Champions League
May 2nd, 2013FC Barcelona crashed out of the Champions League last night after a 3-0 loss against Bayern Munich at the Nou Camp. Barcelona had an uphill struggle in this return leg after a 4-0 loss in Germany last week. However, few were expecting the complete annihilation they suffered and against Bayern, with not even a single goal from the Catalans in either leg.
The squad was without Leonel Messi, who was injured, and as is often the case it makes a huge difference to the team. No team should be down to just one single player, but it’s often how it feels without him.
While the first half ended goalless, the visitors soon put an end to the slight hope of Barça making a come back when they scored early in the second half; that meant that Barcelona would need to score six goals to win the game.
An own goal from Gerard Pique and third from Müller meant that all seven goals in the two legs went to the Germans. They have shown what a good team they are, and that Pep Guardiola will need few changes when he moves there next season as coach.
This was the sick sixth successive year that Barcelona made the semifinals of Champions League, fingers crossed that next year the make it through to the final again.
0-1 Robben (min 47)
0-2 Piqué (min 71)
0-3 Müller (min 74)
FC Barcelona shocked and awed by Bayern onslaught
April 24th, 2013Barcelona were considered the underdogs going into the Champions League semi-finals but few would have expected their complete and utter defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich last night. April 23rd is celebrated in Catalonia as the diada de Sant Jordi – St George’s Day – but few would have felt there much much to celebrate last night.
With Lionel Messi back in the squad there at least seemed a chance that the Catalans could walk away with a chance. However, despite high possession throughout the match, Bayern showed their own class and simply outplayed the visitors. Soon after kickoff it became clear that parts of the pitch were completely sodden with water. It was also made clear that Bayern meant business when Victor Valdes was called into action within the first couple of minutes and the visitors were also lucky not to concede a couple of penalties for hand ball, first by Gerard Pique and later by Alexis.
In the end it took Bayern 24 minutes to score the first of the night, with Barcelona having made no serious attempt at the German’s goal. However, after the break came the real onslaught; Bayern’s second goal came in the 47th minute, the third in the 71st and the final goal of the night in the 80th. The second goal looked like it may have been offside and the third followed an unnoticed foul against Barça, but given that the two handballs earlier hadn’t been seen either Barça has little to complain about.
The only hope for Barça towards the end was to score an away goal hoping to overpower the Germans in the home leg, but that was not to be. It will be a difficult task ahead in a week’s time and the chances of Barcelona now qualifying for the final look slight.
1-0 Müller (min 24)
2-0 Mario Gómez (min 47)
3-0 Robben (min 71)
4-0 Müller (min 80)
Barcelona set for Champions League semis after 1-1 draw against PSG
April 11th, 2013The first leg of the Champions League quarter final proved to be rather controversial, with FC Barcelona making a formal complaint against the referee for a number of technical errors on his part that disadvantaged the Catalans, while Paris Saint-Germain’s first goal was clearly offside and added to that was an injury sustained by Lionel Messi making his appearance in the home leg doubtful; in the end he started on the bench.
PSG came on fighting and it was clear from the start that there were not going to be intimidated simply because the match was at the Nou Camp and it looked for a long time as if it would be they, rather than Barcelona who might go through to the next round. While the first half ended goalless, after the break it took just a few minutes for the visitors to break the deadlock with a goal by Pastore. However, it didn’t really change the balance of the game as Barça still needed just a single goal to clinch their place in the semi-final.
However, once Messi came on at the hour mark the whole dynamic of the match seemed to change. While perhaps not at his best, Messi seemed to be everywhere and it was he who set up the equaliser, assisted by Villa and put into the net by Pedro. In last 20 minutes PSG knew they needed to score again, while Barcelona had to prevent them from doing so as they’d then need to score 2 more to qualify.
In the end the match ended 1-1 to put Barcelona through to the semi-finals for the sixth successive season, a record.
0-1 Pastore (min 49)
1-1 Pedro (min 70)
Last minute goal from Paris Saint-Germain strips victory from FC Barcelona
April 3rd, 2013Barcelona walked away frustrated following last night’s Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain after dominating possession throughout the match didn’t quite prove enough against some poor refereeing decisions, a goal awarded to Ibrahimovic that looked to be offside and a last minute equaliser from Matuidi.
The hosts started out strong and Valdes was forced repeatedly into action, but soon the Catalans looked brighter and when PSG failed to clear a corner, Dani Alves passed it to Leo Messi in the box, who almost effortlessly landed in the back of the net to open the scoring. However, Messi was soon in trouble and was substituted for the second half after suffering a hamstring injury; early reports suggest he’ll be out of action for three weeks.
After the break Barça continued to dominate until the last quarter hour when Valdes was called upon again to stop Paris Saint-Germain from scoring. Eventually though, after an absurd moment when Alba and Mascherano collided and were sent off the pitch for treatment, Ibrahimovic did score despite being well offside.
However, an attack on the PSG goal saw Alexis brought down by the goalkeeper and Barcelona again went ahead thanks to Xavi’s penalty kick. It looked like the clock was counting down to another Barça win, but a last minute goal from Matuidi that Valdes just couldn’t get his hands to saw the result reduced to a draw.
However, FC Barcelona will go into the second leg with a clear advantage thanks to the two away goals.
0-1 Messi (min 37)
1-1 Ibrahimovic (min 80)
2-1 Xavi (min 90)
2-2 Matuidi (min 94)
Barça turns around Milan advantage to qualify for Champions League quarterfinals
March 13th, 2013FC Barcelona overcame the odds last night to turn around their 2-0 defeat in the first leg of the Champions League knockout stage by Milan three weeks ago and make it through to the quarter finals with flying colours. The result of the first leg meant they had to make it 3-0 or better to ensure their place, a feat which according to Sky News had never been done before.
What was clear was that the squad came into the stadium intending to do all they could towards winning, whether or not it had been done before. Very quickly the Catalans showed who was in charge and Lionel Messi scored the first goal in the fourth minute. Soon after Milan had one of their only chances on an open Barcelona goal, which went badly wrong for the Italians when it rebounded off the post instead.
Four minutes before the half time break Messi scored his second of the night to at least put them on an even footing with Milan, a virtual reset for the second half.
Back on after the break, Villa soon made it three goals for Barcelona. Although it was still a good result, it would only take a goal from the visitors to take this round still and so Barcelona contunued pushing.
And in the closing minutes of the goal, that twilight period where things ciould easily have gone astray with a break from Milan, it was Jordi Alba who signed and sealed the result for Barça, with an injury time goal that made the 95,000 strong crowd ecstatic. Last night’s result makes it the sixth successive year that the Catalans have made it thorugh to the quarterfinals.
1-0 Messi (min 4)
2-0 Messi (min 38)
3-0 Villa (min 54)
4-0 Jordi Alba (min 92)
Barça loses first leg Champions League quarter final to Italians
February 21st, 2013Disaster stuck FC Barcelona last night when they lost the first leg of the Champions League quarter finals against AC Milan in Italy.
After not really getting to grips with the game and ended in a goalless draw at the break, Boateng scored 10 minutes into the second half after a blatant hand ball by Zapata. And then eleven minutes from the end Muntari scored Milan’s second goal to seal the match for the Italians.
While the result is unwelcome, the Catalans still have what it takes to overcome the disadvantage as they go into the home leg on March 12th.
1-0 Boateng (min 55)
2-0 Muntar (min 79)
Goalless draw against Benfica sees Messi stretchered off
December 6th, 2012Barcelona’s draw againt Benfica ended in a 0-0 draw last night with a deisaster for Leo Messi when he was stretchered off with a knee injury. Despite already qualifying for the next round of Champions League, Messi came on in the second half to try and surpass Gerd Muller’s record for the most goals scored in a calendar year.
Despite Barça being full of youngsters they dominated possession early on, but Benfica had a few good chances at the Barcelona goal. While Messi was on the Catalans regained control and it looked like things might go their way. However, the injury happened in six minutes before time, a devastating blow to both Messi and FC Barcelona.
The Argentine player will reportedly miss two training sessions in order to get him back to match fitness as he lies just one goal behind Muller’s record of 85 goals in a calendar year. He has four games remaining in 2012 to match or exceed the record.
Barça secure place in Champions League knockout stage after 3-0 win against Spartak Moscow
November 21st, 2012A goal from Dani Alves and two from Lionel Messi in the first half ensured that FC Barcelona qualified for the next round of Champions League last night in a cold night in Moscow.
After the setback in Glasgow, the Catalans came on with a real sense of purpose. The second half saw a couple more opportunities for Barcelona but they failed to capitalise on them and while the home team mounted a comeback it was short lived and they failed to dent Barcelona’s defence.
0-1 Alves (min 15)
0-2 Messi (min 26)
0-3 Messi (min 38)
Celtic deals blow to Barcelona in second defeat of season
November 8th, 2012FC Barcelona won their second match of the season last night against Celtic in the group stages of Champions League. The Scottish club had few chances on the Barça goal, but those they did were capitalised on and the home team went two goal up thanks to Wanyama in the 20th minute and Watt in the 82nd.
Barcelona’s only goal was thanks to an injury time goal from Lionel Messi to end the scoreline 2-1 and had they won this match, the Catalans would have qualified for the next round already.
1-0 Wanyama (min 20)
2-0 Watt (min 82)
2-1 Messi (min 90)
Barcelona beats Celtic by a whisker
October 24th, 2012Jordi Alba scored an 11th hour goal to hand Barcelona victory against Celtic last night at the Nou Camp. The Catalans dominated possession, with Celtic barely touching the ball. However, each time Barça tried a move it was intercepted.
Celtic went a goal up in the 17th minute, after which they went out of their way to defend and prevent Barcelona from scoring at all. This largely paid off until the end of the first half when Iniesta scored.
Back after the break it was more of the same, Celtic highly defensive and some scrappy play from the hosts, with Messi never really getting into the match. Villa came on 15 minutes from the end and looked lime he might break the deadlock. But just when it seemed like they would have to share two points with Celtic Jordi Alba put the ball into the net with an Adriano assist.
The result leaves Barcelona at the top of group G on 9 points and an unbeaten record.
0-1 Samaras (min 17)
1-1 Iniesta (min 44)
2-1 Alba (min 94)
