Champions League Match Report: Barcelona 2 - 1 Celtic

BARCELONA, SPAIN – OCTOBER 23: Andres Iniesta (R) of Barcelona duels for the ball with Kelvin Wilson of Celtic FC during the UEFA Champions League group G match between FC Barcelona and Celtic FC at the Camp Nou stadium on October 23, 2012 in Barcelona, Spain.

Barcelona overcame a spirited Celtic side with a 2-1 victory at the Camp Nou last night, as the third phase of matches in the Champions League group stage got under way. On paper, this should have been a cakewalk for the La Liga leaders but the Scots put up a resolute showing and would consider themselves unlucky to have conceded the winning goal so late in the piece.

Prior to the game, both teams were aware that no matter what the outcome, they would be occupying the top two positions in Group G with Spartak Moscow having beaten Benfica earlier in the evening. The Catalans’ continuing defensive injury woes had forced manager Tito Vilanova to start with a rather suspect looking backline made up of Jordi Alba, Javier Mascherano, Marc Bartra and Adriano Correia. Bartra was making his first start for the club in any competition this season.

The home side began in typical attacking fashion and in the second minute created their first chance when Alexis Sanchez was played through but his shot was wide of the far post. In the 9th minute, Jordi Alba’s dangerous cross from the left went across the face of the Celtic goal, but was cleared in the nick of time by Emilio Izaguirre from the preying Pedro Rodriguez. As expected it was all Barca at this stage and the visitors were having to deal with wave after wave of Catalan attack. In the 17th minute, off a well worked corner, Messi’s precisely weighted ball found Iniesta whose first time cross was well met by Bartra but his header was close enough to Fraser Forster, the Celtic keeper, for the save to be made.

Celtic were quick to counter, and earned a free kick in the opposing half for a foul by Jordi Alba. Charlie Mulgrew’s ball was sent in the direction of Georgios Samaras, but instead found the head of Mascherano who inadvertently ended up directing the ball into his own net to give the visitors a most unexpected lead.

BARCELONA, SPAIN – OCTOBER 23: Giorgos Samaras (R) of Celtic FC duels for the ball with Adriano (L) of Barcelona as Javier Mascherano looks on in the background during the UEFA Champions League group G match between FC Barcelona and Celtic FC at the Camp Nou stadium on October 23, 2012 in Barcelona, Spain.

The stunned home side continued attacking and in the 23rd minute, Messi went close when his free kick from over 25 yards went just over the bar. In the very next minute, Xavi played a great through ball for Sanchez but Efe Ambrose stayed on the right side of the attacker and cleared the ball away. In the 29th minute, Bartra was in the action again when he saw his header miss the target from an Iniesta cross. At this stage, Barca had 7 attempts on goal compared to 1 from Celtic, but the visitors importantly had the goal. The 38th minute saw another free kick opportunity come Messi’s way but the end result was the same with the ball going just over the bar, skimming off the roof of the net.

Finally, in the 45th minute, came the equalizing goal much to the delight of the home fans. It was a goal typical of Barcelona in that the sheer speed of passing and movement off the ball by them had Celtic completely undone. It started outside the Celtic box when Messi squared to Iniesta who in turn found Xavi just inside the penalty area, whilst continuing his run further into the box. The Barca captain completed the give and go to Iniesta, who collected the ball despite the presence of a number of Celtic bodies, took a touch and slammed it in past the diving Forster.

The second half started with the Scots showing that they did not make the trip to Camp Nou only looking to defend. They should have taken the lead again in the 53rd minute, when from a Mulgrew corner, the ball deflected off of a Celtic head to Victor Wanyama, but the Kenyan’s effort went just wide of a gaping goal, leaving Celtic boss Neil Lennon with his hands on his head.

The close shave shook up the home side and they upped the ante, roared on by the Catalan crowd. From here on it was to be all Barcelona, and but for the visitors’ rearguard, especially keeper Forster, they would have put the game comfortably beyond the reach of the Scottish side. The Celtic custodian saved well-hit efforts on goal from both Messi and Iniesta, before superbly stopping Messi’s shot again in the 68th minute from point blank range. Then in the 73rd minute, Forster positioned himself well to deny Sanchez who was through on goal from a Jordi Alba scoop. The 75th minute saw the best save of the lot when Forster flung himself to his left to keep out Messi’s header.

It was becoming increasingly frustrating for the home side, and they must have thought it was not meant to be when substitute David Villa‘s attempt on goal cannoned off the upright in the 90th minute. However their persistence paid off when in the 94th minute, a cross from the right by Adriano found its way to Jordi Alba who was goal side of his marker, and had only the simplest of toe pokes to make at the end, to break Celtic hearts and maintain Barcelona’s 100% record in this year’s Champions League so far.