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| MESSI AND RONALDO IN TIGHT EMBRACE BEFORE KICKOFF CREDIT: GETTY IMAGE |
Barcelona had to settle for a share of the spoils after being pegged back by Real Madrid in a Frenetic Clasico encounter at Camp nou.
Luis Suraez nodded in Neymar's brilliantly taken free kick shortly after half time to put Barca ahead in a cagey contest but Madrid rallied with Ramos restoring parity late on the second half.
Luis Enrique's men had their chances to win it late on but couldn't take them as Ramos header ruined the day for Fcb faithfuls that had seen their team recover from a sluggish first half to produce a breath taking attacking display.
SLOPPY FIRST HALF: Lost Control Of The Midfield Area
Much will be made of iniesta's absence from the starting line-up, especially after he came on later in the second half to make a huge impact in the game.
Barça weren't very promising in the First half , (far from their usual best) , lost control of the midfield, gave away ball very cheaply, the attacking trio were starved of supply, the midfield trio of Ivan Rakitic, Andre Gomez and Sergio Busquet just didn't live up to expectations, the entire first forty-five minutes Leo Messi left his attacking duties to help out the .Luka modric ceased the opportunity to make mockery of them. frankly that combination didn't prove to be efficient against a formidable Madrid side who practically took control of proceedings, dominated play in the midfield area with ominous counter attacks and crosses aimed at the 18 yard box designed to find Ronaldo and Benzema, may be if Lucho had started Iniesta things would have been a lot different.
Notably, Zinedine Zidane’s side kept the attacking trio at bay, guess they figured out a way to nullify their threat the entire first 45 minutes, the only shot Barça mustered on target was a Lionel Messi free-kick straight at Keylor Navas.
A MUCH BETTER 2ND HALF Barça clearly needed to up the ante in the second half and there was a lot more spark to their football after the restart. After 52 minutes they finally got the break they needed. A Neymar free kick was delivered right into the danger-zone and Luis Suárez was on it like a true predator to nod the ball home.
The goal was followed by Andrés Iniesta entering the fray after a 40 day absence through injury. The nervy mood on the Camp Nou terraces was now one of celebration.
Now it was the game Barça wanted. The possession was theirs, the creativity was theirs and the chances were theirs. Madrid were being outclassed in every department and Neymar really should have made it two when he had Carvajal nicely beaten but sent his shot skyward. And still Barça pushed forward. Another golden chance went begging when Leo Messi collected an Iniesta assist and sent the ball skimming wide of Keylor Navas ’ post. The culés were loving it – another Barça goal was a far more likely prospect than a Madrid equaliser.
INIESTA'S BROUGHT OUT THE BEST IN BARCA
It’s difficult to say to what extent this should be ascribed to Iniesta’s own play, the knock-on effects his play making has on his team-mates, or his mere presence as captain and talisman. Either way, it was notable: in the subsequent three minutes, Barça enjoyed a spell of cohesive possession in which Madrid hardly touched the ball.
Iniesta took his place on the left of their 4-3-3, his favored role, as Gomes shuffled to the right. The Spaniard started combining with Jordi Alba and Neymar down that side, and somehow the positional play throughout the side seemed to get better. Busquets played penetrative passes, gaps opened up in midfield, and, on 64 minutes, Messi found
rare space between the lines to play in Suarez, who wasted a promising move with a poor cross.
rare space between the lines to play in Suarez, who wasted a promising move with a poor cross.
At that point Zidane tried to tighten things up by bringing midfield battler Casemiro
on for Isco, even though Madrid were 1-0 down. Two minutes later Iniesta gave the ball to Neymar, who skipped past Dani Carvajal and blazed from close range.
Iniesta then had his own effort stopped, which was one of six that Barça unleashed in the last 30 minutes, having managed five in about an hour before his introduction.
on for Isco, even though Madrid were 1-0 down. Two minutes later Iniesta gave the ball to Neymar, who skipped past Dani Carvajal and blazed from close range.
Iniesta then had his own effort stopped, which was one of six that Barça unleashed in the last 30 minutes, having managed five in about an hour before his introduction.
Their title chances may have been dented by Sergio Ramos’s late equaliser, but Barcelona could at least take solace from the inspiring return of Andres Iniesta in Saturday’s Clásico at the Camp Nou.CREDIT: FOURFOURTWO.COM
Last Minute Blow
Victory
against Madrid also would have helped re-establish the team's confidence
after an unusual sequence of disappointing results. The draw against
Madrid felt even more disappointing considering that Barcelona played
well in the second half and had two great chances to put the game away,
first through Neymar and then Lionel Messi. Both missed from close
range.
But Madrid were desperate to have the last say. The all-whites surged forward in the final minutes – Ramos headed just over, then Jordi Alba managed to block a fine chance for Ronaldo. This game wasn’t over yet. And bang. Right in the very last minute everything went wrong. A Luka Modric free-kick floated into the Barça penalty area and Sergio Ramo ’s head was there before anyone else. The ball found the back of the net and the Camp Nou was silenced. Barça did everything they could to re-establish their lead, but by now the game was into stoppage time and the options were running out. The whistle blew. Right
at the very last gasp, a precious opportunity to close the gap on the league leaders had slipped away.CREDIT: FCB OFFICIAL WEBSITE
at the very last gasp, a precious opportunity to close the gap on the league leaders had slipped away.CREDIT: FCB OFFICIAL WEBSITE
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| CREDIT: GETTY IMAGE |
There is some reason for optimism thanks to the successful return of Andres Iniesta, who had been sidelined for more than a month because of a knee injury. The team improved significantly on Saturday after the star midfielder entered the match in the second half.
Barcelona's next home game is on Tuesday against German side Borussia Moenchengladbach in the final round of the group stage of the Champions League. Barcelona has already secured first place in Group C, which also has Manchester City and Celtic. Its next Spanish league game is at Osasuna on Saturday.CREDIT
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