[ BARCELONA 1 vs ESPANYOL 1 ]

-manraj- · Post time 1-4-2007 08:20 AM

BARCELONA, March 31 (Primera Liga) - Goals from Lionel Messi and Samuel Eto'o kept Barcelona's title ambitions on track with a nervous victory over Deportivo La Coruna at the Nou Camp on Saturday.

Adrian pulled one back for the visitors midway through the second period but they could not force the equaliser.

The Catalans remain on top of the Primera Liga and started strongly with Edmilson's shot well blocked by the Depor rearguard in the second minute before Xavi fired wide from just outside the area.

Messi looked a threat from the start and the Argentinian tried his luck from distance after eight minutes, only to see his effort deflected into the arms of Deportivo goalkeeper Dudu Aouate.

The Galicians then squandered a great chance at the other end, when former Barcelona youth player Cristian Hidalgo set up Fabian Estoyanoff, but the Uruguayan hesitated and Lilian Thuram recovered well to put the ball behind for a corner.

From the resulting set piece, Riki blasted a powerful shot wildly over the bar as Deportivo enjoyed their best spell of the half.

Joaquin Caparros' side won another corner shortly afterwards, but it was Barcelona who threatened next, with Ronaldinho forcing Aouate into a fine save with a trademark free-kick.

The Catalans looked well below their best, though, and seemed to be missing Portuguese international Deco, who is recovering a broken finger and nevertheless would have missed out through suspension.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst fired a long-range effort well wide after 28 minutes, before a moment of controversy finally sparked the game into life.

Ronaldinho was booked after stopping Estoyanoff from taking a quick free-kick in the 36th minute and as the Barcelona players protested, Eto'o slapped the Uruguayan on the side of the face.

The South American went down theatrically, but Eto'o went unpunished.

The game slowed down again after that incident, but just as the first half looked to be finishing goalless, Barcelona took the lead.

Ronaldinho found Messi with a delightful ball over the top and the Argentina star brilliantly fired past Aouate to score his fifth goal in three games.

And Barcelona soon doubled their lead after the break courtesy of Eto'o.

Ronaldinho played a one-two with Andres Iniesta, but the Spaniard's pass took a ricochet off Jorge Andrade and ran through to Eto'o, who kept his calm to slide the ball past Aouate for his eighth league goal of the season.

But the visitors never gave up and almost pulled a goal back in the 66th minute, when substitute Adrian got between Thuram and Gianluca Zambrotta, but Victor Valdes came out quickly to clear the danger.

However, the Barcelona goalkeeper could do nothing to prevent Adrian from scoring a minute later.

The 18 year-old midfielder pounced on a wayward Van Bronckhorst header and ran through the Catalan defence before sliding the ball past Valdes to bring the visitors back into the game.

Despite the goal, Barcelona remained in control and Ronaldinho almost restored the home side's two-goal advantage after 71 minutes, but saw Aouate get down well to keep out his right-footed effort.

The Brazilian then set up Eto'o with a cheeky backheel eight minutes later, but the Cameroonian was also frustrated by the excellent Israeli keeper.

For all their dominance, Barcelona spent the closing minutes on the back foot with Valdes saving brilliantly from Adrian as Deportivo searched for a late equaliser.

jpl_fan · Post time 1-4-2007 08:42 AM

hampeh deportivo...ngan barca pun x leh mng...

carrie_connie · Post time 1-4-2007 12:21 PM

Originally posted by jpl_fan at 1-4-2007 08:42 AM
hampeh deportivo...ngan barca pun x leh mng...

real pon x leh menang ngan barca (i mean kat nou camp)

..hampeh arr real

jpl_fan · Post time 1-4-2007 05:41 PM

oit....atleast seri tau

barca yg hampeh sebab x leh mng kat bernabeu

MzDiNa · Post time 1-4-2007 08:47 PM

Barcelona: Ronaldinho can stay for life

MADRID, April 1 (Reuters) - Barcelona president Joan Laporta said he hopes Brazilian forward Ronaldinho stays at the club for many years to come.

Ronaldinho's future has been the subject of intense media speculation over the last few days, with AC Milan reportedly interested in signing the 27-year-old international.

But after a meeting on Saturday between the player's agent and brother Roberto de Assis, and the club, the uncertainty appeared to have been cleared up.

'Ronaldinho is happy at Barcelona. We have him here for many years to come because it is what both parties want,' Laporta told television station TV3.

'He is a reference for the club. He has given us a great image around the world, and on the sporting side Frank Rijkaard is delighted with him. He will be here for many years because he deserves it. He can stay as long as he likes.'

De Assis told Spanish media: 'In the meeting we started putting together the future. Everyone should relax because it is all going well.'

Ronaldinho set up goals for Lionel Messi and Samuel Eto'o in the 2-1 victory over Deportivo Coruna in the Nou Camp on Saturday, and was unlucky not to score himself as Barca went three points clear at the top of the table.

'The best way of showing what I want is the game I have just played,' Ronaldinho told reporters after the match. He has a contract with Barcelona until 2010.

FAC · Post time 1-4-2007 08:56 PM

fouhlamak sejak kembalinye eto dh stabil attacking barca

najwa_june · Post time 1-4-2007 10:49 PM

sejak kembalinya eto'o & MESSI, br betol...

conan · Post time 1-4-2007 10:51 PM

sejak biler tuh? sejak out of CL ke

toaster · Post time 2-4-2007 08:01 AM

yei..yei menang.. :pompom:

[ Last edited by toaster at 2-4-2007 10:53 AM ]

toaster · Post time 2-4-2007 10:55 AM

At arm's length
Barcelona's Samuel Etoo (left) battles for the ball against Deportivo La Coruna's Jorge Andrade during their Spanish La Liga match at the Camp Noum Stadium in Barcelona, Spain on March 31, 2007.

Willing it on
Barcelona's Zambrotta crosses the ball against Deportivo.

Class above
Barcelona's Ronaldinho battles with Deportivo's Andrade.

Odd one out
Edmilson of Barcelona and Deportivo players stand in the wall.

Celebrations
Barcelona's Leo Messi (right) and Ronaldinho celebrate a goal against Deportivo. Barcelona won 2-1.

carrie_connie · Post time 2-4-2007 11:01 AM

Originally posted by toaster at 2-4-2007 08:01 AM
yei..yei menang.. :pompom:

yahooooo

bbkss · Post time 2-4-2007 11:11 AM

nyampah ler barca dgn liverpool pong kalah

toaster · Post time 2-4-2007 11:13 AM

kalah naseb je tu...

-manraj- · Post time 2-4-2007 11:31 AM

MADRID, April 1 (Reuters) - Second-placed Sevilla were held to a goalless draw at Osasuna to leave Barcelona two points clear at the top of the Primera Liga on Sunday.

It was a bruising encounter in Pamplona between the two UEFA Cup quarter-finalists, with Sevilla making most of the running.

Competing on three fronts seems to be taking its toll on Sevilla who finished their fourth consecutive away match in the league without scoring.

Leaders Barcelona have 56 points after Lionel Messi and Samuel Eto'o scored to give them a 2-1 home win over Deportivo Coruna on Saturday.

Real Madrid moved back up to third on 51 points after staging a classic smash-and-grab to beat Celta Vigo 2-1 away.

Robinho's late header was harsh on struggling Celta who had chased the three points, having come from behind to level through fullback Angel just before the break.

Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy won and scored a penalty to put Real ahead in the 27th minute.

Real finished with 10 men as midfielder Guti was sent off near the end.

Valencia slipped back to fourth with 50 points after edging out Espanyol 3-2 at the Mestalla on Saturday.

Chasing Real Zaragoza let slip a two-goal lead at Getafe to draw 2-2 and stay fifth with 47.

They are three ahead of sixth-placed Atletico Madrid who could only draw 1-1 at home to Real Mallorca.

There were goals galore in Santander where Racing boosted their chances of making it into Europe next season. Striker Nikola Zigic scored a hat-trick in 19 minutes to earn a 5-4 home win over relegation-threatened Athletic Bilbao

Bilbao twice took the lead before Racing appeared to stamp their authority on the game to move 4-2 ahead in the second half with Zigic scoring in the 70th and 77th minutes.

The Basque side scrambled their way back to level at 4-4 with six minutes remaining, but Pedro Munitis threaded a ball through for Serbia striker Zigic to seal the win and his hat-trick one minute from time.

Racing climbed to seventh on 43 points, one behind Atletico.

Gimnastic, Real Sociedad and Bilbao occupy the three relegation places.