New Delhi: Barcelona qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League but were held to a 1-1 draw by Basel at Camp Nou on Wednesday evening.
In a quiet first-half Thierry Henry struck wide from an excellent early opportunity, with a different type of evening perhaps unfolding if he had found the back of the net. Marco Streller headed wide from close-range for Basel as the visitors posed an occasional warning.
In the second half, things were not improving until a double substitution on the hour mark saw the introduction of Lionel Messi and Xavi.
Within two minutes the duo, along with Henry, had produced a swift move which opened the scoring, with Messi rounding things off by stroking the ball into the far corner (62).
Gerard Pique hit the woodwork with ten minutes to go before Basel struck with a shock equaliser through Eren Derdiyok (82) and held firm to claim a share of the points.
Team news
Thierry Henry was named as the lone out-and-out striker in the 4-5-1/4-3-3 formation with Lionel Messi and Samuel Eto’o rested.
Henry was to be supported by Bojan Krkic and Bojan Krkic and Aliaksandr Hleb from wide areas. Xavi was also given a break, meaning Andrés Iniesta, Sergi Busquets and Víctor Sánchez made up the central midfield trio.
Basel lined up with a defensive looking 4-5-1 formation with the 5-0 home drubbing from the last meeting between the sides still fresh in the memory of club manager Christian Gross.
Marco Streller was the lone front-man in what was strictly a 4-5-1 set-up, while Switzerland striker Eren Derdiyok was only fit for the substitutes’ bench. Australian Scott Chipperfield was out through injury.
First half
The home side created the first opportunity of the match in the fifth minute and should perhaps have scored.
Basel vice-captain Benjamin Huggel lost the ball deep in his own half, allowing Iniesta to seize possession and feed through Henry, who seemed to be in prime position to score as he cut inside from the left, but could only fire wide of the far post.
The visitors issued a warning shortly afterwards when lively winger Carlitos won free-kick out wide on the left. Basel got a decent ball into the box and threatened with a header from Ivan Ergic that forced Barca goalkeeper Victor Valdes into action.
In the 20th minute Iniesta had an effort from just outside the penalty box after receiving the ball from Henry. The Spaniard struggled to generate enough power though, leading to a simple save for Basel’s ’keeper and captain, Franco Costanzo.
Bojan failed to trouble Costanzo with two long-range efforts and Rafael Márquez struck a free-kick narrowly over the crossbar as Barca dominated possession but failed to cause the Basel defence any major problems in the first 35 minutes.
Costanzo was forced into action to save a glancing header from Henry, before Streller headed poorly wide from close-range at the other end after a well-worked Basel corner. Henry was fortunate to get away with what looked like a hand to the face of Carlitos just before the break.
At half-time the well-organised visitors could be content they had restricted their illustrious opponents to a series of half-chances in what had been a slow-paced first half.
Second half
Henry and Bojan combined well five minutes into the second half before the 18-year-old Spaniard ran out of room after Costanzo came rushing out at pace.
On the hour mark a breakthrough still hadn’t been found, prompting the arrivals of Messi and Xavi from the substitutes’ bench. Basel also showed some ambition by bringing on striker Eduardo for winger Marko Perovic.
But it took just two minutes for Barca’s star substitutes to make a telling impact. Xavi played the ball at pace to Messi, who found himself in space after playing a swift one-two with Henry.
With the ball at his feet at the edge of the box, the Argentinean dribbled at pace, opened up his body and stroked his shot into the far corner of the net.
Xavi came close with a free-kick before Basel threatened on the break when Carlitos’ cross-shot almost deflected past Valdes off the foot of Valentin Stocker. Ergic fired over the bar from long-range as the visitors kept themselves in the game.
It was so nearly two for Barcelona ten minutes from time when an excellent flick on by Marquez from a free-kick fell to Gerard Pique at the far post, but the former Manchester United defender could only direct his header off the angle between post and bar with the goal gaping, meaning Basel survived.
And moments later the Swiss side’s substitute Derdiyok made Barca pay for their miss with a tremendous equaliser. Carlitos was given far too much space on the right and he whipped in an accurate cross which the striker took on the half volley. He timed his shot well and the ball bounced into the top corner of the net, giving Valdes no chance.
As expected, Barca launched a late onslaught, but despite a period of sustained pressure and four minutes of added time being indicated, the visitors held on for a famous result, which keeps Sporting Lisbon in with a chance of challenging the Catalan giants for top spot in Group B, with both sides now through to the last sixteen.
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