UEFA Champions League: FC Barcelona vs. FC Copenhagen – Full Time Report (Part 1)
Barcelona were playing their first team; however, their first choice goalkeeper Victor Valdes was out of action because of food poisoning. The Catalan giants were ready to entertain the Danish Champions and Copenhagen brought a
very strong side as they wanted to defeat the Spanish Champions in order to stay on top of the table.
Barcelona played Jose Pinto as their goalkeeper as he was helped by the French full back Eric Abidal at the left back position and the Brazilian right back Daniel Alves. Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol were the centre backs for the
Catalan giants as Maxwell was played as a fifth defender for the team; however, he was to play a more defensive midfielder role.
The Argentinean captain Javier Mascherano made his first start for Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League and he was assisted by Sergio Busquets in the holding midfield position. Xavi Hernandez was missing from the first team and
he was not even included on the bench. Andres Iniesta was the one who took his place in the midfield as a central attacking midfielder while Lionel Messi and David Villa were the two strikers for the Spanish side. Barcelona played a 4-1-2-1-2 formation with
David Villa playing as a striker while Lionel Messi was the one who featured as a winger.
For the Danish champions, Johan Wiland featured as a goalkeeper and he was assisted by Oscar Wendt, Zanka, Mikael Antonsson and Zbynek Pospech at the back. A usual 4-4-2 was played by their coach Stale Solbakken and Claudemir,
Martin Vingaard, Hjalte Norregaard and William Kvist Jorgensen was the one who featured in the midfield while Dame Ndoye and Cesar Santin played as the strikers for the club.
The visitors started the game as the teams took their positions on the field and it was an important game for both the teams, as it was a fight for a place at the top spot. If Barcelona won the game they would be the group toppers
with Copenhagen on the second spot as Barcelona had four points while the Danish side had six.
Barcelona started to play their usual tiki taka style of play and started to build slowly towards the oppositions’ goal. Andres Iniesta kept on floating around and kept on switching places with Lionel Messi as the Catalan giants
were just confusing their opponents.
The Catalan giants got an early opportunity in the fourth minute of the game and with a wonderful run from Lionel Messi into the 18 yard box, the ball found itself at David Villa’s feet. Villa smashed it towards the goal but only
found the cross bar and the deflected shot was well defended by the Danish side.
The 11th minute saw Lionel Messi finishing the ball into the net perfectly but the Argentinean was flagged outside as Maxwell’s deflected shot meant no value. However, it was a wonderfully constructed move by the Spanish
giants.
The Catalans were trying to keep possession of the ball and they were successful in this and even with Xavi Hernandez out of picture, the Spanish side were dominating in the midfield and they were pressurizing the oppositions’
defence and were camping outside the 18 yard box of the Danish champions.
The Catalans got another wonderful opportunity with the help of Andres Iniesta who wonderfully crossed the ball for Daniel Alves, who was making a run from the right flank inside the 18 yard box. Alves perfectly chipped it towards
Lionel Messi’s head who found the target but the shot was blocked.
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