29.05.2010 20:24
Villa scores and Pedro makes his debut (3-2)
Marc Guillén
Seven of Barca’s eight Spanish players featured in Vicente del Bosque’s team’s 3-2 win over UAE, with Iniesta setting up his new club colleague Villa for a goal and Pedro making his debut.
With only six changes allowed for each team, Victor Valdes was the only Barca player not to figure
in the game.
Great goal from Villa
Barca’s latest signing played as a lone striker and hit it
off well with Andres Iniesta who played a series of lovely one twos with Villa before setting up a
beautiful goal that will have got the Barca fans longing to see the two playing off each other in
the Nou Camp next season. Xavi Hernández started the move opening up the play out left for Iniesta
to cross and Villa to head home.
Six Barca starters
Vicente del Bosque sent a strong starting 11 out with six Barca players: Pique and Puyol at
centre backs, Busquets and Xavi in the middle, Iniesta out wide on the left and Villa on his own up
front. Iniesta and Puyol played for an hour, Villa for 10 minutes more and Xavi, Busquets and Pique
played the full 90 minutes.
Pedro makes his debut
With the changes on the hour, Pedro came on for his first game and playing out left he put in
his typical hard working and skilful performance, though he had no chances on goal..
Brilliant Iniesta and Xavi key
Andrés Iniesta impressed throughout and showed himself to be fully recovered from his recent
injury, whilst the free ranging Xavi was again at the heart of most of the team’s attacking
moves.
Barca style of play
Spain played as they did in the 2008 European Championships, very much in the Barca style,
with two wide men and three midfielders who were continually interchanging positions.