Barcelona heads to Wembley final
Source: Agencies |
May 5, 2011, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
BARCELONA'S slick football at a rain-swept Nou Camp had Real Madrid chasing shadows for long periods again as the Catalans reached the Champions League final after a 1-1 draw and 3-1 on aggregate.
Barcelona, in the final for the second time in three years, built on its lead from an ill-tempered first leg in Madrid when Pedro rifled in after 54 minutes.
Marcelo gave Real some hope with an equalizer 10 minutes later but its challenge petered out against the three-time European champion.
"There has been a great deal of effort behind this, a team that returned from the World Cup almost without having a break," Barca coach Pep Guardiola told Spanish television referring to the players who were world champions with Spain last year.
"Just let us enjoy this moment," he added, when asked about the controversy of recent weeks.
Bad blood had boiled up between the Spanish giants around four meetings in three competitions in 18 days and the final game of the series was again marred by diving.
Barca's success was payback for last month's Copa del Rey final defeat, as well as giving it a measure of revenge over Real coach Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese, who was absent from the bench after being sent to the stands in last week's first leg, knocked the Catalan club out at the same stage last season with Inter Milan before leading the Italian club to victory in the final.
Real's players spent long periods chasing the ball as the Barca players sent it fizzing across the slick surface and they would have been out of sight by halftime if not for a slew of brilliant saves from goalkeeper Iker Casillas.
The Spanish World Cup-winner was finally beaten when Pedro raced on to Andres Iniesta's through ball and slotted into the corner.
Real got its first goal of the tie when fullback Marcelo followed up to score after Angel Di Maria struck the post but there was no way back for the nine-times winners.
Barcelona, in the final for the second time in three years, built on its lead from an ill-tempered first leg in Madrid when Pedro rifled in after 54 minutes.
Marcelo gave Real some hope with an equalizer 10 minutes later but its challenge petered out against the three-time European champion.
"There has been a great deal of effort behind this, a team that returned from the World Cup almost without having a break," Barca coach Pep Guardiola told Spanish television referring to the players who were world champions with Spain last year.
"Just let us enjoy this moment," he added, when asked about the controversy of recent weeks.
Bad blood had boiled up between the Spanish giants around four meetings in three competitions in 18 days and the final game of the series was again marred by diving.
Barca's success was payback for last month's Copa del Rey final defeat, as well as giving it a measure of revenge over Real coach Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese, who was absent from the bench after being sent to the stands in last week's first leg, knocked the Catalan club out at the same stage last season with Inter Milan before leading the Italian club to victory in the final.
Real's players spent long periods chasing the ball as the Barca players sent it fizzing across the slick surface and they would have been out of sight by halftime if not for a slew of brilliant saves from goalkeeper Iker Casillas.
The Spanish World Cup-winner was finally beaten when Pedro raced on to Andres Iniesta's through ball and slotted into the corner.
Real got its first goal of the tie when fullback Marcelo followed up to score after Angel Di Maria struck the post but there was no way back for the nine-times winners.
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