Match Report: Sunday 19/11/2006 19:00 (GMT +1): La Liga, Match Day 11
R.C.D. MALLORCA - FC BARCELONA 1:4 (0:1)

ONO Estadi, Palma de Mallorca – Attendance: 21.000
Referee: Rafael Ramirez Dominguez


Goals:

0-1 Gudjohnsen 41´
0-2 Gudjohnsen 58´

1-2 Victor Casadesús 70´
1-3 Iniesta 86´

1-4 Ezquerro 90´


Red Card:
Fernando Varela, Mallorca (two yellow bookings), 80´


R.C.D. Mallorca (4-4-1-1): Prats - Pereyra, Nunes, Ballesteros, Fernando Navarro - Jankovic, Varela, Basinas (Jordi 61´), Ibagaza (tristan 80´) - Arango - Máxi Lopez (Victor Casadesús 61´)- Manager: Gregorio Manzano


FC Barcelona (4-3-3): Valdes - Oleguer, Marquez, Puyol (Zambrotta 63´), Gio - Motta, Iniesta, Deco - Giuly (Xavi 82´), Gudjohnsen (Ezquerro 71´), Ronaldinho - Manager: Frank Rijkaard


Match Preview: Barca´s Goal Festival in Mallorca!

Eidur Gudjohnsen helped FC Barcelona to stay are top of the Primera Liga table after Sunday's 4-1 victory over Real Mallorca. Two superb finishes, a goal in each half, from Eidur Gudjohnsen (41´ and 58´) and late strikes from Andres Iniesta (86´) and Santi Ezquerro (90´) sealed Barca´s deserved win at the ONO Estadi in Palma de Mallorca.


Barca coach Rijkaard surprisingly started with Oleguer ahead of Gianluca Zambrotta on the right wing back position and fielded thiago Motta and Andres Iniesta ahead of Edmilson and Xavi, probably resting the players coming back from injury for the important Champions League away match against Levski Sofia.
But also Mallorca coach Gregorio Manzano surprised by playing center forward Maxi Lopez as the sole striker up front, supported by a 5-midfield, playing Arango as the offensive link between the midfield and Maxi.


The first 30 minutes of the match started very slow, not to say poor, as Mallorca crowded the midfield and cleverly denied Barca any space to play their game and forcing the champions to errors. Andres Iniesta was the most active player in the midfield and defender Rafael Márquez was controlling the ball in the back, trying to distribute the ball with his passes to move the game forward.


The story of events is told quickly: Barca midfielder Thiago Motta produced the first serious opportunity as the Italo/Brazilian send a powerful header towards the Mallorca goal after a Deco corner but goalie Toni Prats saved the effort on the line. Then Real Mallorca created two opportunities, when Basinas tried with a long distance shot and Arango headed over from a corner.

But just a few minutes before the break, when every Barca fan was already settling for a draw at half time, Ronaldinho sparked the fire when the Gaucho received a ball from midfielder Thiago Motta on the edge of the penalty box, superbly got around his marker, just to pass the ball to Deco, who clipped it superbly to Gudjohnsen and the "Iceman" calmly dribbled around Mallorca´s goalkeeper Prats and slotted the ball home into the empty net.


The second half started in similar style to the first. Mallorca battling in midfield and fighting for every ball, making it very difficult for Barca to play their game. Maxi Lopez had a half chance ten minutes into the second half, but could not control the ball well enough to threaten Barca keeper Victor Valdes who saved the ball easily.


In the 58th minute, a fantastic pass from Andres Iniesta provided Gudjohnsen, who picked up the ball in the area and finished calmly and superbly past Mallorca´s goalkeeper Prats again to put Barca 2-0 in the lead.


With 2-0 down Mallorca coach Manzano had to change tactics and brought on Victor Casadesus for Maxi Lopez and Jordi for Basinas. Also Barca coach Frank Rijkaard, with 2 goals up, gave Barca captain Puyol a rest ahead of Wednesdays CL-match and brought on Gianluca Zambrotta. Oleguer moved along side Marquez on the centre back position to make room for Zambrotta on the right. But Mexican defender Marquez was not at his best when the substitute Victor Casadesus won the ball of Marquez to easy in the penalty area and finished through the legs of keeper Valdes to cut Barca´s lead down to 2-1. Mallorca was suddenly back into the game with 20 minutes left to play.


Then Santi Ezquerro got a run out, who substituted Eidur Gudjohnsen, who kept his promise ahead of the match to score. While Mallorca was trying to push for the equalizer, FC Barcelona found it much easier to find spaces and looked very dangerous on any of their counter attacks. One of these counter attacks produced a key moment of the game. With ten minutes left, a long pass from Gio sent Deco free up on the left wing, only to be brought downd by defender Fernando Varela. No doubt, this was a yellow card. Unfortunately, this was the second yellow card on the evening for Varela and therefore the former Betis player was rightfully send off. This was the end of Real Mallorca´s challenge and from this point there was only one team playing and controlling the match.


In the 86th minute, Ronaldinho got the ball outside the penalty box and tried to get around Mallorca defender Nunes. The ball deflected from the Portugues´ leg and Iniesta picked it up inside the penalty area. the BArca player got around goalkeeper Prats and slotted home. A superb effort that killed off the game.
The injury time had just started and it was again the Brazilian magician with the No. 10 who started the action. Ronaldinho lifted the ball over the Mallorca defensive line to set Santiago Ezquerro free who had no problems to volley the ball with his left into the far corner of the goal. 4-1 victory and FC Barcelona back at the top of the table!!!


My Comment:

4-1, three points and top of La Liga. We can not ask for more!
I was very happy to see Gudjohnsen to score twice and also Ezquerro to score his first goal this season.

The Iceman promised goals in the build-up to the match and did not disappoint. On top of it, the goals were classy with an excellent finishing.
Ezquerro also got a boost of confidence, not only for being double as long on the pitch than in the entire season but also to score.

Barca will need both players in the next months and they have to prove now, why Barca signed them. But this was good for a start, now we have to see more. The next opportunity is on Wednesday!


The Barca win was very important. First, to boost the confidence ahead of the Champions League match against Levski Sofia and second, because we add points to our account while the challengers keep playing each other. Next week Sevilla travel to Bilbao, a difficult ground to play and Valencia must win against Real Madrid, to keep touch with the top group.


Despite the injuries, Barca is in a comfortable position now and I am looking positively forward to the next challenge and this is in Sofia next Wednesday!


Visca el Barca!