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Stuttgart 1-1 Barcelona: Lionel Messi Misses Help From Barca Mates

45 views 24 February 2010

FC Barcelona’s unsatisfying run kept going on yesterday evening at the Mercedes-Benz Arena when they drew 1-1 with Stuttgart.

Brazilian-born striker scored the opener for Stuttgart on 25 minutes, but a second-half equalizer from Zlatan Ibrahimovic rescued the visitors.

Carlos Puyol, Maxwell, Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquet, Rafael Marquez, Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez, Lionel Messi, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic all started the game for Barcelona – while Thierry Henry, Pedro Rodriguez, and Bojan were left on the bench.

On the side of Stuttgart, former Barca player Aliaksandr Hleb, Cacau, and Pavel Pogrebnyak served as the deadly men in front for the Germans.

Messi had said before the game that netting a goal was among his targets, explaining that dominating Stuttgart away from home was extremely important and beneficial.

Early in the game, Lionel Messi ran on the attack for Barcelona, but he was slightly tripped by a Stuttgart defender, which somehow caused him to go down inside the box. Although there were no appeals for a foul, there was few contact between both players, but looking at the replay, it is clear that it was not a penalty.

Ibrahimovic and Lionel Messi were both closed-up by the Stuttgart defense, but still, Messi managed to cut his way through and make his passes. Messi struck twice after some wonderful individual efforts, but his shots came off the defenders and eventually left the keeper without stress.

However, Barcelona should have been awarded a penalty within the first period when what could be an intelligent challenge on Zlatan Ibrahimovic from the Stuttgart defense turned out to force a handball inside the 18-yard box.

This time, there were appeals, but the referee was unconvinced and ordered for the play to continue.

After several attempts, Stuttgart finally got the lead through a good organization. Good work from Hleb gave Gebhart the chance to cross – sending the ball deep into the danger zone – only for Cacau to make a bullet header and get his fifth goal in four days for Stuttgart.

Lionel Messi of Barcelona wondering in his Champions League game away to the Mercedes-Benz Arena against Stuttgart

From Google Images

1-0 Barcelona were losing on 25 minutes…

Lionel Messi kept making efforts to create opportunities setting off from the midfield, but ineffectiveness from Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta on the night spoiled everything. Stuttgart were then denied a clear penalty after the ball hit Gerard Pique’s hand, but once again, the referee overruled the appeals.

In search of an equalizer, Lionel Messi made a superb run a few moments later, but expectedly, his 25-yard shot was badly parried away by former Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann, before the ball slowly rolled off the post.

With both sides unable to modify the result displayed on the score board in the first 45 minutes, the score line remained 1-0 to Stuttgart at half time.

The second half began on a better note for Barcelona, who found an early equalizer through Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the 52nd minute. There were more gifts for Barcelona as the game went on, but Xavi, Iniesta, and Ibra just couldn’t put their side in front.

Messi kept putting the pressure on Stuttgart with his trademark runs and smooth passes, but not even the introduction of Thierry Henry in the second half was helpful enough to change Barcelona’s game.

In the end, 1-1 the game ended, and one must say that it was a horrific performance from the Champions League title holders overall.

Nevertheless, Barcelona return home at least with an away goal, but there is more work to do at the Camp Nou in the second-leg Champions League encounter against Stuttgart later in March.

Watch the video highlights of the Champions League match “Stuttgart 1-1 Barcelona” and enjoy more football video highlights.

Isaac Asante, Footballfantalk.com