Barcelona 1 - 2 Liverpool

Home » Match Reports » Barcelona / Liverpool

| England News

Wednesday Feb 21 2007 07:45

Craig Bellamy and John Arne Riise were on the mark as Liverpool recorded a famous 2-1 victory over Barcelona which leaves last year's Champions League winners staring elimination from the competition in the face.

Bellamy and Riise had made the headlines for all the wrong reasons in the build-up to the trip to the Catalan capital for their part in a training break bust-up in a Portugal nightspot.

But Bellamy answered his critics with a vital equaliser on the stroke of half-time, before Riise slammed home a 74th minute winner to put Rafael Benitez's side in a strong position to knock the reigning European champions out in the second leg at Anfield in two weeks' time.

Benitez opted for a surprisingly attack-minded 4-4-2 formation with Bellamy partnering Dirk Kuyt up front and the move looked like backfiring early on as Barcelona started the brighter and took a 14th minute lead through Deco.Gianluca Zambrotta beat Steven Gerrard down the left-hand side and sent over a cross which the Portugal playmaker headed confidently low past Pepe Reina to hand the home side a deserved lead.

But Liverpool could perhaps sense Barca's galaxy of stars were not clicking and bounced back as the first half wore on.

Bellamy headed a Gerrard free-kick into the side-netting after pulling away from Carles Puyol before drawing his side level two minutes from half-time.

Gerrard was again the architect as he sent over a deep cross from the right which Bellamy met with a firm header after pulling away from Juliano Belletti.

However, the Wales international had to thank Victor Valdes for the equaliser as the Barcelona keeper appeared to slip as he claimed the ball and couldn't prevent it crossing the line despite getting both hands to it.

After the interval Barca made a number of offensive changes with Andres Iniesta and Ludovic Giuly coming on as second-half substitutes.

But the changes didn't produce the desired effect on a lack-lustre home side and, after Kuyt had headed over the top from point-blank range, Liverpool struck a killer second blow.

Kuyt mis-controlled when through on goal, but when Marquez could only produce a weak clearing header, Bellamy squared to Riise who swept the ball home from 12 yards.

In the closing stages, Reina saved a stabbed effort from close range by Javier Saviola and Deco clattered the post with a free-kick, but Liverpool were well worth their victory aided by the midfield work of unsung heroes Gerrard and Mohamed Sissoko.

Live Commentary

90
FULL-TIME: BARCELONA 1-2 LIVERPOOL

90
Peter Crouch comes on for the last few seconds with Kuyt making way

90
Zambrotta picks up a late and needless booking after conceding a free-kick

90
Liverpool fully deserve this result against a lacklustre Barca side whose stars have been strangely subdued

90
Four minutes of time will be added here now as the Liverpool fans break into full voice

89
Liverpool are closing in on a famous win here that would leave Barca's Champions League hopes hanging by a thread

88
Deco clatters the angle of post and bar as Reina mis-judges the flight of an angled free-kick that bounces away to safety off the woodwork

86
Reina misses a driven free-kick but luckily for the keeper Carragher is on hand to flick the ball behind with a brave header

85
Agger is lucky to escape a second caution after pulling back Gudjohnsen down the Liverpool left

84
Boudewijn Zenden comes on now for the injured Sissoko

82
Barca make a third and final change with Eidur Gudjohnsen coming on for Saviola

80
Liverpool send on Jermaine Pennant in place of Bellamy

78
Liverpool are playing keep ball now against a team that isn't used to this sort of treatment

77
Bellamy goes into the book for petulance towards the referee after giving away a free-kick

76
Barca are in real trouble here as they have been off colour all night and are now being punished

74
BARCELONA 1-2 LIVERPOOL: Kuyt mis-controls a glorious chance and after Marquez can only head clear to Bellamy he squares the ball to RIISE who sweeps it home from 12 yards

73
Reina saves Liverpool as Saviola twists past his marker and stabs at goal from eight yards before Arbeloa deflects Messi's follow up over the bar

71
Giuly almost sneaks in and takes the ball off the toes of Carragher as he sweeps up a Ronaldinho through ball

69
Valdes uses his legs to block a low Gerrard strike from the free-kick and when Alonso sweeps the ball back in to the far post area Kuyt heads over - that was a real let off for Barca

68
Valdes is penalised for picking up a pass back from Giuly - that was a ridiculous decision by this dubious goalkeeper

67
Liverpool look the most likely to score at the moment with Barca seeming strangely out of sorts

65
Ludovic Giuly replaces the ineffective Xavi for Barca

64
Valdes comes out bravely to punch clear an inswinging free-kick under pressure from Kuyt on the penalty spot

62
Ronaldinho lashes the free-kick well over Reina's bar to the delight of the 5,000 travelling fans

61
Sissoko goes into the book for a foul on Deco 30 yards from the Liverpool goal

60
Ronaldinho breaks past two tackles as he finally comes to life but can't force a pass through to the unmarked Saviola

58
Kuyt looks to be struggling with a thigh injury which will concern Liverpool

57
Barca string about 30 passes together without actually moving forward - Liverpool are putting in some really hard work closing down at the moment

55
Iniesta replaces Motta as Barca make a real offensively-minded change

54
Barca are preparing to bring on Andres Iniesta with the Spain international receiving last minute instruction from Frank Rijkaard

53
Gerrard brushes off Zambrotta and breaks only for the whistle to end the attack - both the captain and Benitez can't believe that decision

51
Ronaldinho gives the ball away twice in quick succession and the little magician isn't having the best of nights so far

49
Carragher does well to shake Saviola off the ball in the box and clear his lines under pressure from the little Argentinian

47
Gerrard lashes a low 20-yard free-kick through a poor wall but Valdes holds well under pressure

46
Liverpool get the second period underway bouyed by that late first-half equaliser

45
HALF-TIME: BARCELONA 1-1 LIVERPOOL

44
Barca look rattled here now after a really horrible goal to give away at a poor time

43
BARCELONA 1-1 LIVERPOOL: BELLAMY pulls away from Belletti and heads home a deep cross which the keeper claims he holds on the line despite it clearly being over - that was really poor keeping from Victor Valdes

42
Deco controls a driven clearance and almost plays an instant clip over the top looking for Saviola but Carragher clears well

41
Marquez can only win a corner from the chipped set-piece as Liverpool defend solidly

40
Arbeloa puts his arm across Messi and stops his run illegally to give away a free-kick 30 yards out and to the right of goal

39
Bellamy pulls away at the back post but heads Gerrard's deep free-kick into the side-netting - that was Liverpool's best chance of the half

38
Belletti is booked for a late tackle on Alvaro Arbeloa on the touchline

37
Puyol comes in for some rough treatment now as the Barca captain braves a couple of nibbles from Bellamy before going down and winning a free-kick

35
Kuyt is booked for a poorly-timed lunge at Carles Puyol deep in Barca territory

32
The game has gone a little scrappy at the moment with Barca happy to let Liverpool have the ball and the Reds unable to retain it

30
Ronaldinho's set piece is poor though and his low free-kick is easily hacked clear

29
Zambrotta goes down theatrically close to the left corner of the box after slight contact from Carragher but it's a free-kick nonetheless

27
Liverpool are enjoying a little spell of pressure now but Barca look very dangerous on the break

25
Rafa Benitez cuts a concerned figure in his seat in the dugout and so he might as the home side are well on top at the moment

23
Agger is the first name in the book for a flick at the back of the legs of Saviola in midfield - that looked a harsh decision

22
Juliano Belletti races into the box from the right and almost picks out a team-mate with a cross as Barca grow in confidence

20
Thiago Motta is inches away from smashing home a Deco corner and Liverpool are just hanging on at the moment

19
After a promising start Liverpool are very much on the back foot now as Barcelona step up through the gears

18
Pepe Reina sticks out a hand to stop Deco's first-time shot from an acute angle after a superb ball into the box from Messi

16
Saviola wrong-foots Carragher on the edge of the box but drags his low shot wide of the far post

14
BARCELONA 1-0 LIVERPOOL: Gianluca Zambrotta beats Gerrard down the left and sends over a cross which DECO heads home from ten yards at the back post

13
Ronaldinho goes down in the box under challenge from two defenders but the referee waves play on to the bemusement of the Brazilian

12
Ronaldinho slides the ball into Deco whose first-time lay off plays in Saviola who is incorrectly flagged offside when one-on-one with the keeper - that's a huge let off for Liverpool

9
Liverpool have settled really well here and are enjoying the lion's share of the possession at the moment

7
Gerrard looks for the run of Bellamy in behind the defence but the flag goes up again - there is a definite ploy to use the pace of the Wales international

5
Steven Gerrard flicks the ball over for John Arne Riise whose early driven cross is too strong and Bellamy can't get on the end of it - that was a good chance for Liverpool

4
Xabi Alonso turns well in midfield and almost picks out the run of Steve Finnan inside the penalty area but the flag goes up for offside

2
Bellamy shows good pace to latch on to a long ball out of defence from Daniel Agger but Rafael Marquez recovers to snuff out the danger

1
Barcelona kick-off the match in front of a packed Camp Nou

0
The Reds have also named Javier Mascherano on the substitute's bench after he was given clearance to sign on loan from West Ham yesterday

0
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has opted for a surprisingly attack-minded 4-4-2 formation with Craig Bellamy partnering Dirk Kuyt up front and Peter Crouch left on the bench

0
Barca coach Frank Rijkaard has left troubled striker Samuel Eto?o out of his squad but has handed a first start in three months to Leo Messi alongside Ronaldinho and Javier Saviola in attack

0
Barcelona host Liverpool in a mouth-watering Champions League last 16 clash at the Camp Nou tonight

Statistics

Barcelona

Shots on target	4
Shots off target	8
Shots off bar/post	1
Fouls	17
Offsides	5
Corners	6

Liverpool

Shots on target	5
Shots off target	2
Shots off bar/post	0
Fouls	29
Offsides	6
Corners	2

See Live Commentary