Mas Mas More

4.20.2010

The Wrap

Well, I had to lay off the videos to follow the action.
One coming up in a moment though.
All I can say about this game is that in the first half it seemed tight, but by the end of that half, you could see the frustration in Barca's faces.
Second half bloomed with an Inter defensive entrenchment that Barca could not crack.
Until Maicon lost a tooth and a smile in a rough collision, Barca had no answer on that right side.
Everything flowed that way.
It looked a very much like the Old & Crafty beating the Young & Talented.
I can't complain, really.

SCROLL DOWN TO FOLLOW ALONG FROM THE BEGINNING

The BBC Play By Play

The BBC Match Report

End of the Game

That's that.
Videos to follow.

Pep looks peptic.

Into stoppage, should end soon.
Misery for Barca.

Inter has closed this down.
A defensive display that has snuffed the best offensive team in the world.
The ref helped ... maybe... but maybe not.
I am not a pro to say.

Wow!
Incredible bicycle from Busquets right at Cesar...
typical of their night.

Yep, watching more closely, Motta is shadowing Xavi completely.
Has been for some time.
Should have picked that out sooner.
So the ball is going through Messi more, but he has no one to give it to.
Motta has taken Xavi out, and Keita is happier to sit in the corners, while the poaching Pedro has nothing to poach.

Pique taking an active roll in offense, pushing everything up, Puyol patrolling the back, but Barca throwing everything they have at Inter.
It's been in Inter's half for the last ten minutes, basically, if not longer. They have eleven men behind the ball.

Now all Inter are doing are stepping at Barca players who are basically flinching.
I'm not saying this is bad soccer, just rough.
But they've definitely lost their attack after Maicon went out.
They were already playing long ball before that, but without him...

Barca unlucky again and again.
Just can't get it in the net, or really anywhere near it.
Some chances, but it's more like a scrum in the Inter 18 than a penalty box...

Barca just don't have the luck today, while Inter has created theirs with steel.
Some wasted balls have gone through...
And Inter seems to have contained Messi all day.

Sneijder has a chance at the other end but can't get a grip on the ball.
Puyol looks like he would have decked him,.

Maybe it's Thiago Motta who has been so instrumental in the midfield.
Cambiasso and Motta doing a number there though.
Strong. Strong stuff.
Stankovic gets a yellow at centerfor nearly breaking an ankle...
Messi trying to exert his influence throuhout but there is no space. and Inter are closing things down.
Pique trying to be the bfg man in the Inter 18.
Alves gets a yellow for a dive in the box but is in fact taken down by Sneijder.
A clear foul.
One wonders if the ref is paid off?

Messi has a shot, 20 yards out.
There has been a few of those, but nothing much better lately.
Inter playing some very solid Italian tactics.
This has been a lesson in Italian football even as some say Inter aren't all that "Italian."
Don't matter.
They've taken Barca off their horse.

No, there's Xavi, he's still in, just quiet as a church mouse.
He has been handcuffed and hoodwinked and taken care of by perhaps Cambiasso.
Chance for Barca, goes awry off a foul, and every Inter player throwing themselves headlong at each and every Barca player.
The ref is not awarding much though, and Inter seem to be playing on that.
Really rough, tough...

Barca using Busquets and Keita as play makers now, not sure why Xavi was taken off unless he was hurt. Definitely feeling his absence, creatively. That could be the real story.
Big chance for Barca as Messi is put quickly, tightly through but someone gets a leg out and blocks his shot...

Inter content to long ball it still, but Milito has a calf strain or a hamstring strain. Now the dangerous Balotelli comes in.
Not a bad move for Inter.
Balotelli is young, fast....
Will cause tired players problems.

Chivu on for Maicon.
Barca have to press now.
Have to recapture this game with 20 minutes left.

So who is on the field now?
Xavi off?
Sergio..Pedro..whoah....
replay of Maicon's knock out...
serious stuff.
Messi fully puts a flying shoulder in his jaw.
Almost look like he lost teeth.
Yes, yes it does.

Balotelli set to come in...
while it looks like Maicon was knocked straight out by a Messi shoulder in the last chance...
goes around comes around, frankly...
Maicon being carted off.

Again Inter just playing long ball.
Keeping the ball in the air...
smart tactics.
But the game has taken a turn for the less pretty.
Barca nearly create a second, but the swarming Inter defense snuffs it out.

Inter have definitely rattle Barca with their hounding and guile.
That has been the difference.
Now Keita gets a yellow as he smashes Eto'o to the floor.
But that is a yellow Inter should have received four times now...
and havent.

Videos to come, just trying to keep up with the game here.
Barca trying to regain control, time on the ball.
Lucio still roughing up Pedro.
Looks like Maxwell is still on...
So who cam off for Abidal?
Inter sending hopeful balls in now, wasting time, trying to keep Barca off there toes..

And Abidal's first touch is a good one, sending the ball in for an active Keita, but it's a touch too strong.

Maxwell may have created a goal, but that's all he's done.
He has been destroyed on that right side by Maicon and Eto'o.
Prolly better he hadn't played...

Brilliant, form that right side again. Eto'o, Sneijder heads it back for Milito uncovered to head in.
And there's Abidal.
One wonders why he didn't start.
Well, he's in now.

and it works!
Inter again.
This time Milito

Inter attacking like a mallet at times. Just hoping to punch the ball through.
Not a lot of finesse, but a lot of force.
Tiring Barca out. Very Italian.

Pedro down again, he is now begging for contact. He knows the ref can't keep turning a blind eye. Smart.
Ibra offside, but gets a weak shot off first...
Pique gets a yellow for a hazerdous tackle...

Pedro looks like a beaten boy, limping around after being roughed up.
Keita is pissed.
Barca are pissed.
Pep is frustrated.

Barca far from out of it though.
They've too much character.
But Mourinho has played his cards just right again so far.

Barca does not have much time on the ball, not as much as usual.
Inter taking it to Messi, while Maicon smashed Pedro again, basically gives him a dead leg on purpose.
I think Mourinho knows how dangerous Pedro is apparently...

Now Barca on the counter, Messi is dispossessed barely by Zanetti, Stankivic coming on for Pandev, who looks tweaked...

Ibra is sent through by Keita after Lucio clatters into Pedro for a terrible foul, but Ibra too slow to pick up the ball.
Eto'o looking like he is missed for Barca, while Inter is glad they got rid of the big goof.
Barca nearly ram one through off a corner, but Inter are too stiff back there.

Barca looking pissed, Inter looking cocky.
All flow of offense still coming down that right side for Inter, Barca simply have no answer for that. Messi gets a classic right to left middle of the box lash, no one can stop it but Cesar gets to the right place to bat it away...

Trouble for Barca.
Inter put themselves ahead, tempers are high.
Jack called on the phone and I dropped the digital ball.
Started talking about surfing.
Puyol just got a yellow, which means he's out for next game..

INTER! MAICON!

Back under way...
Inter looking good again gets a shot off before two minutes...

Half Time

You can see the relief on Inter, their confidence, and the frustration of Barcelona.

And theres your half.
A difficult time for Barcs.
They are expending far more energy than Inter in the first half with only one goal to show.
Inter are playing smart, aggressive counter-attacking football, using the Maicon/Eto'o/Milito/Sneijder thrust.
Barca are trying to play their football, but so far Inter is very strong against it...

Barca dinking the ball outside the Inter box, waiting, eating time, controlling, and then the Inter counter, a Barca foul, frustration and a yellow for Pedro...

Barca getting in the fouls for what thats worth, trying to match the physicality

Takes a nasty deflection but rolls out...scary moment, now to the corner and theres another long range shot at Valdes...

Sneijder looks set to kick

Dangerous moment, Maicon wins a foul about 20 yards out...

Still, time of possession pretty even, starts to flow Barca's way as it will, but then Inter just puts it over to the right side and Maicon and Eto'o, then they fling it over for Sneijder and Milito.
A four-man charge up front for Inter basically, everyone else keeping shop...

A recurring image is Maicon throwing it in dangerously near the Barca box.
He is rampaging on that right side.
Maxwell can't contain that side...
Messi trying to do his smart stuff through the middle. typical touches at the top of the box, then is brought down by a little boot to boot from Cambiasso, Argentine on Argentine...
Ball in the Inter box but Ibra too slow, Barca starting to look potent again...
But Messi is being dog eared...
Lots of ball flinging into the Inter box, but no too much Barca connection, Inter doing a good defensive job.

A little hiccup to make the video, Barca pressing again a lovely cross in from the right sees Ibra wildly fling himself at the goal only to waste another chance.
When he's good, he's good, when he's bad, he looks like an adolescent who doesnt quite know how to control his own bones...

Foul on Pedro, Sneijder send sit in, Valdes punches it away. Barca on their heels roght now, Inter pressing, looking for a second, quickly...
Once again, Mourinho set his men up right, Eto'o doing damage, Milito pressing, Maicon running down the right, Sneijder hovering...

Eto'o giving Barca fits! Sends the ball in, Milito touches it out to eh top right 18 and Sneijder, totally unmarked, gets the goal....
All the Barca defense bundled about the middle there left him open for a clinical finish...
Video soon

Inter! Sneider!

Work issues, lots of interrupting...
looks like Inter nearly equalized, Milito shooting wide...

Lucio nearly matches back with a header, but fluffs it.

Pedro Receives the ball from Maxwell, top of the box from the touch line,
Puts it right past Cesar...that's what happens...
How did inter let Maxwell through all the way down there like that...?
Video soon.

barca!

Eto'o looks dangerous, nearly has the better of Valdes with a nifty shot, then turn Milito almost into the box with a good pop up pass...
Inter looking hungry.
Eto'o looking hungry.

Guardiola gesticulating from the sideline, getting his players back...
Inter roughing Barva off the ball a little, Barca getting in some licks thought, perhaps out of frustration already, each side stating their case that way...
Push through the middle Xavi to Maxwell, sends the ball into Ibra who goes down after a flail int eh box.
That guy is such a big lummox.
Mota and Sneijder and Cambiasso trying hard to control the middle against the Barca maestros, playing rough, fast, trying to keep Barca off their pace.

Inter looking dangerous, Eto'o in particular looking active, looking to make plays, Inter are pressing, hounding hte Barca defensive line.
Sneijder goes down on an Alves bump at half line,
Messi in the middle tries to put Ibra through on a long pass, but it gets cut out.
Lots of back passing to Valdes from Puyol,
Both teams looking for the counter...

Cagey game so far.
Eleven minutes in...
Eto'o gets a yellow for a little petulance after he is called for an itty bitty foul.

Alves down, had his hand stamped on, looks painful...

Barca playing their normal kickaround game, always looks dangerous, never know what hole will open up.
Inter happy to sit back a touch, looks like Maicon is pushing on that right side though...
Barca passing it around mostly, a few counter attacks by inter... but nothing special,
Inter fans belting out the songs...Barcs loses it!
Eto'o sends Milito through but he's offside by a slim margin.
Would have been a sure goal...

Nice little move from Messi, Keita slides it just right of the goal.

Barca in their little orange numbers, very bright, no missing them...

The Scot announcer is talking about how Inter are older on average than Barca..,