Barcelona vs Real Madrid
Match pulse
BARAttacking pressure by 5 minutes
Who won: Barcelona 2-0
Barcelona beat Real Madrid 2-0 on Saturday, December 13, 2008 at Camp Nou. Goals for Barcelona: Samuel Eto'o (83') and Lionel Messi (90'+1').
Play by play
- 93'
FULL-TIME: A marvellous match, with some stout defensive play from Real finally coming unstuck late on as Barca's attacking instincts are justifiably rewarded. It's especially hard luck on Casillas though who was world class in the match.
- 91'
GOAL: Messi has won the game for Barcelona after Henry selflessly plays him in on goal. He is one on one with Casillas and dinks a delightful chip over the keeper. Cannavaro is very unlucky not to stop the ball on the goal-line but his desperate lunge succeeds only in helping the ball in to his own goal. 2-0 to Barcelona.
- 89'
Hleb wins a ball with a firm shoulder charge but then Casillas gets a yellow for some back-chat to the ref. Now Xavi strolls off as Keita takes his place. Three minutes of time are to be added.
- 87'
Puyol lands heavily but he's a big lad and he would probably have got up a bit quicker if Barca were losing. As it is, he's content to take his time. Meanwhile Eto'o comes off to a standing ovation - or perhaps the Barca crowd are hailing the arrival of Alexander Hleb.
- 84'
A cacophonous din spreads around the Nou Camp as the home crowd sense the seconds ticking towards what would surely be a decisive blow to their oldest rivals title ambitions.
- 82'
GOAL: The corner is played long and then headed back in to the danger area by Puyol with a huge leap. Eto'o is first to the ball and his scrappy effort from four yards out just makes its way across the Real goal-line. He wheels away in delight, shirt windmilling over his head. Is that the end for Real?
- 81'
Alves cannons a cross off of Metzelder for a Barca corner.
- 79'
Ooh, that looked like a handball from Ramos in the Real penalty area and the defender was quick to turn to the referee to voice his innocence. A plea the referee chooses to believe.
- 77'
Valdes now is called in to action after a nice one-two between Raul and Palanca ends with a neat shot from the substitute but Valdes stands firm to get a hand to his effort.
- 74'
Drenthe is crowded out and Barca come away with the ball. Casillas has come a long,long way out to the touchline in chase of a ball which Henry was second best for but Henry manages to win it and almost make Casillas regret his dash from goal. Henry is unable to get an angle on goal as Salgado tackles him but Casillas will think better of such a move if another opportunity to do likewise presents itself.
- 73'
Salgado does superbly well to get back to cover Henry as the Barca man waited ominously for a long ball over to the far post. Salgado makes amends for conceding the penalty kick there.
- 71'
Casillas again is the Real hero with a stupendous double save, first from a long range Eto'o effort and then from Messi who looked to profit from the rebound. Superb goalkeeping.
- 69'
Save by Casillas who flings himself to his left and at full stretch parries away Eto'o's well struck penalty. Magnificent save from Casillas.
- 68'
Penalty to Barca. Salgado is booked for the foul on Busquets and Eto'o will take the spot-kick. Drumroll....
- 66'
Henry holds off Drenthe but his pull-back is put out for a corner and the Nou Camp finds its voice. Casillas stretches for the ball after a mistake from Salgado and then Messi fires in a shot from twenty yards which Casillas watches flash past his near post.
- 63'
Salgado this time makes a fine challenge on Henry. The Barca attacks have lacked the vim of those in the first half as they are repeatedly dashed against the seemingly immovable white wall Real have placed in front of Casillas' goal.
- 63'
Salgado this time makes a fine challenge on Henry. The Barca attacks have lacked the vim of those in the first half as they are repeatedly dashed against the seemingly immovable white wall Real have placed in front of Casillas' goal.
- 62'
Henry gets around Salgado but his cutback is met by Cannavaro who stretches to intercept the ex-Arsenal man's ball. Meanwhile Sergi Busquets comes on for Gudjohnsen.
- 60'
Metzelder now is playing as left-back and Ramos has moved in to the middle of the park in a tactical shift by Juande Ramos.
- 59'
Messi skips around Cannavaro but Salgado is on hand to put in a tackle in case Messi thought he was having things his own way.
- 56'
Raul and Marquez exchange some none too pleasant words after Raul had charged in to the back of the Barca man.
- 54'
Eto'o flashes a shot just over the Real crossbar after Salgado had toe-poked the ball away from Messi towards him. Good bit of improvisation from Eto'o.
- 53'
Marquez gets across to cover Drenthe then lies on the floor after he was caught by a trailing arm from the Real man. Real have the throw though.
- 51'
Barca get the corner away and launch a couter-attack. Alves whips in a long cross from the right but it is over-hit and sails harmlessly over the waiting bodies in the Real penalty area.
- 50'
Palanca shouts for a foul under the challenge of Abidal but he has to make do with a corner.
Leaders
BARRMA 
