FCBARCELONA.CAT

05.05.2007 19:32

Closer to survival (10-3)

Sònia de Alba

FC Barcelona Senseit have made a giant’s leap towards staying in the futsal top flight next season. Marc Carmona’s side thrashed one of their main rivals, Gestesa Guadalajara, scoring ten times in the process.

The Barça futsal team are in a buoyant mood, and relegation is less likely after this weekend’s performance. As one of the banners in the Palau said “we can’t lose what we won at Galdar now”. Indeed, Barça are now four points clear of the dropzone with two games to play, and another season in the Division de Honor is looking more and more likely.

Dani Fernández, who played for Gestesa when the Castilian side beat Barça in the promotion play-offs, set Rafa Muñoz up with the first goal of the night. Two consecutive saves from Paco Arjona were immediately followed by Javi Rodríguez making no mistake, and shortly after Rafa Muñoz was alert enough to grab a half-chance that rebounded off Kiko and into his own net. Six minutes before the break, and Fernando opened visiting side Gestesa’s own account.

High tension

Just after the fourth Barça goal, scored after a great move involving Valtinho and Rafa Muñoz, came a moment of controversy, as Barça had scored while two Gestesa players were down injured, Valtinho and Muñoz being unaware of what had happened. The visitors were visibly displeased by that, and the game suddenly turned fiery. Play was halted for seven minutes due to the ensuing fracas, and Gestesa’s Uge was shown red while Rafa Muños and Claudinho got yellows.

When play resumed, Fran Romero replaced Paco Arjona to attempt to save a penalty awarded immediately, and the Barça captain did his job to bring the Gestesa morale down lower than ever.

Counter attacks aplenty

In the second half Fernando pulled the visitors back into it to make it 4-2, but Dani Fernández soon replied with the best goal of the night.
Barça were doing all the creating, and Fran Serrano, Javi Rodríguez and Pedrinho made it 6-2 with a spectacular team play, and Marcelinho, Juan Carlos López and Manolín did likewise to make it 7-2.

Juan Carlos López was on target with a stylish individual effort just seconds later and Manolín’s goal that followed was almost an exact replica. And there was still time for more. Kiko gained some consolation for the visitors (9-3), but Javi Rodríguez wanted to see this one go into double figures, and did so with a cheeky backheel for Pedrinho to tap home the tenth right on the final whistle.

Palau out in force

The atmosphere at the Palau was one of the best ever for a futsal match, with some of the football squad in attendance, including the injured Belletti and Deco. Roller hockey goalkeeper Octavi Tarrés was also there, and that was the kind of support Barça Senseit needed. Next week the team travels to MRA Navarra where a win will mean top flight survival, with a second chance still to come on the final day, May 19, at home to Azkar Lugo. As all games on the final days have to be played at the same time, these matches will both commence at 18.30.