FC Barcelona see off defending champions Sevilla.


Match Report: Tuesday 15/01/2008 22:00 hours, Copa Del Rey, Round 1/16 ( 2nd Leg )

FC BARCELONA - SEVILLA CF 0 - 0
Stadium: Camp Nou, Barcelona

Capacity : 98,772
Attendance : 75,917

Referee: A. Perez Bull


Goals:


None


Cautions:


Yellow Card:


FC Barcelona - Dos Santos ( 46' ), Marquez ( 54' )


Sevilla CF - Mosquera ( 54' ), Duda ( 91' )


Line-up :


FC Barcelona (4-4-3): Valdes, Zambrotta, Puyol, Milito, Sylvinho, Marquez, Xavi, Gudjohnsen ( Bojan, 50' ), Iniesta, Dos Santos ( Deco, 68' ), Henry
Manager: Frank Rijkaard


Sevilla(4-4-2): De Sanctis, Alves, Mosquera, Dragutinovic, Adriano, Renato, Poulsen, Navas, Capel ( Alfaro, 81' ), Chevanton ( Duda, 74' ), Fabiano ( Kerzhakov, 68' )

Manager: Manolo Jiménez


Match Report:


Hostilities began very early in a match that did not produce any goals, but was more interesting than some matches that did.


In the very first minute, Dani Alves delivered a cross that Ernesto Chevantón connected with, but this narrowly missed target. Barca responded with an Iniesta effort in the 4th minute. The creative one curled a ball that sailed across the far post of Sevilla. Iniesta returned in the 17th minute to set up Thierry Henry, who kicked the ball a litttle too hard, sending it wide.


Sevilla closed up the middle, as the visitors feared an incursion into attack by Barca. Fabiano made a brief scare when he nodded a corner over at the Blaugrana goal area, while Eidur Gudjohnsen rattled Sevilla keeper Morgan De Sanctis' with a stormy shot from 25 yards, ensuring that the first half ended goalless.


On resumption of play, the coaches kept their first-half players and pattern intact as no early chnages were made. Dani Alves again caused early scare by testing Valdes, but the Barca keeper did well to put the ball into his safe custody. A change did come in the 55th minute when hardworking Gudjohnsen was replaced by sleeky Bojan Krkic, who immediately added more vitality and creativity to the game. Giovani was also replaced by Deco who was just returning from injury.


FC Barcelona continued to dominate the game, with some good football and scares coming from Thierry Henry and Bojan, who the Sevilla defenders tried to cut off. The Blaugrana were however a bit too relaxed and unmindful of their defence, not until Sevilla had another surprise in store for Barca, as an 82nd minute free-kick shot by Dani Alves rattled Valdes, who spurn the ball unto the Barca cross bar and away from danger. A disaster was averted. However, Sevilla surged forward again and this time, Navas got the ball into the Barca net, but the effort was disallowed as Duda was well placed in an undeniable ofside position.


Bojan signed off the night with an effort that would have resulted into goal, but the young goal machine was not lucky to his angular effort go in. The match ended goalless as the hosts, FC Barcelona knocked out the defending champions Sevilla on away goal rule after a 1-1 draw in Seville during the first leg.


My Comments:


FC Barcelona confirmed their superiority over Sevilla CF, as the defending champions of the Kings Cup bowed to the team of the moment, a star-studded and revived Barca squad. The quarter finals is Barca's next port of call, and it looks more and more likely that the Blaugrana will get to the final...and eventually win the trophy.