Barca's Copa Stutter
17 January 2013
Barcelona made heavy weather of their Copa del Rey defence last night, drawing 2-2 at home to Malaga in the first leg of their quarterfinal tie.
The Blaugrana mauled Malaga 3-1 away in La Liga last weekend, but their changed line-up stuttered in the Copa.
Tito Vilanova’s side started well, but Malaga held on and poached the lead when Manuel Iturra robbed Thiago Alcantara of the ball just outside the box and slotted home past Pinto.
Barca reacted swiftly, and Lionel Messi drew them level just three minutes later.
Messi- who showed his four Ballons d’Or to the crowd before the game- latched onto a loose ball on the right, burst into the box, and fired a trademark curler into the back of the net.
Barca took a lead into the second half, when a minute after Messi’s goal, skipper Carles Puyol looped a header into Malaga’s goal.
So comfortable at home this season, Barca must have felt they had secured a first-leg advantage.
But they shipped a late equaliser when Ignacio Camacho was left unmarked in the 90th minute, to clip Malaga back into the tie.
After their sloppiest home display of the season, Barca will now have to lift their game to last weekend’s level for the second leg at La Rosaleda, if they hope to remain on course for a likely semi-final mega-clash with Real Madrid.
comments
Ofcouse u dnt
Submitted by: LEEROY246
Date: 18 January 2013, Time: 20:44:38
If you have pride in them that is not my business, neither do I care
Submitted by: jommak
Date: 18 January 2013, Time: 19:48:02
@jommak-bt the f00tbol governing body recognises madrid's achvment regardles of franco's influence in dm
Submitted by: LEEROY246
Date: 18 January 2013, Time: 15:06:42
This is a fair result,2nd leg will b a walk in da park 4 the great Barcelona.Bring on Madrid in da semi final!
Submitted by: Talent20
Date: 18 January 2013, Time: 10:02:59
Leeroy, the copa del rey & the king's cup are not different things, it is the same thing in different languages....but yes it's true what P_kwazo is saying about titles(and that is despite Barca having to play most of those competitions under literally army guns up their noses threatening to shoot them each time they score) Go & google that you google junkies, we will never have respect for those Franco era Royal Madrid 'titles'
Submitted by: jommak
Date: 18 January 2013, Time: 09:32:25
@Keykey, Ok Cule, on that note, let's leave it here!
Submitted by: P_Kwazo
Date: 18 January 2013, Time: 09:29:46
Ha ha ha! Thats enough P-Kwazo,u will chase some people away here!
Submitted by: Keykey
Date: 18 January 2013, Time: 09:04:37
19 - The ONLY team to field eleven home grown players in the 21st century....to be continued....
Submitted by: P_Kwazo
Date: 18 January 2013, Time: 08:13:48
Sundowns is da mst successful team in s.africa in da psl era nd diz is despite chfs having won da mst kn0ckowt trophz dan any ada team....dat said da copa del rey nd kings cup ar of a leser value wen cmpard 2 da league.-its in dat light dat man u ar seen as da mst sucesful team in england b.cos of their superior league titles cmpard 2 liverp00l
Submitted by: LEEROY246
Date: 18 January 2013, Time: 06:09:45
@Mochini, Please note - The UCL is NOT the ONLY competition played for in Europe, as much as La Liga is NOT the ONLY competition played for in Spain. Overall Barca has won the most titles in Europe followed by AC Milan. Overall Barca has won the most titles in Spain. And those, my brother, are - OFFICIAL PROVEN FACTS!
Submitted by: P_Kwazo
Date: 18 January 2013, Time: 05:15:00