FCBARCELONA.CAT

16.03.2009 17:24

Goal in 1’ 49’’

Jordi Clos

Bojan’s second goal to make the scoreline 0-2 summarises both Sunday’s victory at Almeria and also how FCB play and win. Barça controlled the ball for 1 minute 49 seconds between Xavi getting it back in midfield and Bojan finding the back of the net.

A goal preceded by 37 passes is a work of art, a monument to quality football. Fans who went to the Juegos del Mediterráneo stadium were lucky enough to see it live. As Almeria parked the bus across the goal, Barça attacked in its usual way by firing the ball around at speed in end-to-end keep-ball.

Barça wins like this

In the 53rd minute with Barça ahead by 0-1, Xavi picked up the ball in midfield and passed to Messi. It was to be the first of 37 passes before Bojan stuck the ball past Diego Alves exactly 1 minute and 49 seconds later. Patience, playing it short and long, from wing to wing, with minimum individual touches, Guardiola’s men pulled Almeria this way and that until Dani Alves saw a gap down the right and began the final stage which ended in Bojan’s strike.

All except Márquez and Valdés

All the Barça players except central defender Rafa Márquez and keeper Víctor Valdés took part in the move: Alves (6 times), Piqué (5), Sylvinho (5), Xavi (5), Keita (5), Bojan (4), Iniesta (3), Messi (3) and Touré (1).