Barca's magic wand leaves spellbound Inter chasing shadows
Wednesday November 25 2009
ALEX FERGUSON is right -- Barcelona are still favourites to win the Champions League. Barcelona made light of the absence of Lionel Messi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic and lighter work of the Italian league leaders.
Barca had the shirts off Inter's backs and the Italian side did not even notice. And this was supposed to be a crisis, the night the Catalan giants joined the Europa League.
The draw earned by Dynamo Kiev in Kazan beforehand eased Barcelona's plight, taking the edge off the mathematical guillotine. But that does not account in full for the majesty of this performance. Jose Mourinho will need a stiff drink watching the tapes, particularly of the first half, which was a humiliation for him and Serie A.
The only respect Barcelona showed Inter was the acclaim for Samuel Eto'o before the kick-off. Thereafter, it was a sobering night for Italy and their champions.
No quibble with Barcelona, who fielded seven Spaniards in their starting line-up, which tells you that the impaired Messi and Ibrahimovic began the evening as honourable members of the bench.
shocker
From a defensive point of view, Barcelona's opening goal was a shocker. Gerard Pique could not have had more room had he been standing in a bus bay. No opponent should cut a lone figure when a team is defending a corner. Thierry Henry flicked on for Pique to club the ball home unchallenged from the edge of the six-yard box. Mourinho was not happy.
No pass is too short for Barcelona, no man ever marked. The Nou Camp is a one-touch wonderland. When embroidery is required Andres Iniesta gets the sewing kit out and threads it all together. In the first half Inter gave a fair impression of Hull, which takes some doing with Eto'o and Lucio in the side. When the second goal went in Eto'o was almost signalling to the Barca bench asking for his old job back.
It was some entry into the Nou Camp goal pageant, not so much the finish as the construction. Xavi's angled ball to Daniel Alves took the left side of Inter's defence out of the game at a master stroke. Pedro Rodriguez galloped in to supply the finish at the far post.
In less than half an hour Mourinho's gameplan was fish and chip paper. The focus now shifts to Sunday's classico against Real Madrid. The three points leave Barcelona top of Group F. What is more, they got there without the need to risk their own magic man. Messi versus Cristiano Ronaldo. Sorry lovers of Arsenal and Chelsea, but that duel eclipses all. (© Daily Telegraph, London)
- Kevin Garside
Irish Independent
