Henry decisive

A goal from Henry has given Barça three more points in their third consecutive league victory.

Rijkaard’s men, with Messi back in the team, will have to be more effective in their struggle for the title.


Barça have won three more points against a tactically effective Racing, who had started the second part of the season in sixth place in the league. Rijkaard’s men found it hard to deactivate the ordered green-and-white defence. Thierry Henry decided the game in the first half, seeing home a deflected ball in the six-yard box. Henry’s goal and Messi’s reappearance were without doubt the highlights of a hard-fought victory.

Maximum organisation
Both teams started off very well organised, preventing each other from doing any damage. Barça, under more pressure than ever to win, found it difficult to find space in Racing’s perfect 4-4-2. The solid Cantabrian team was also prepared to slow the game down. The first chances came after the 20th minute, one after the other and very similar. First, Henry tried a header from a magnificent cross from Zambrotta, and then Bojan did much the same.

Henry punishes Racing
Barça were now showing their mettle, and the goal came soon after. In the 30th minute, Henry showed no mercy. He took advantage of a defensive error after a corner to head the ball home. Despite the goal, the match didn’t change much leading up to half time. Whilst strong in defence, Barça’s inability to create any play began to make the spectators impatient. In all this time, Marcelino Gracia’s team didn’t have one shot on target.



Surprise in the second half
The start of the second half was more entertaining, with Racing being more insistent, and with a near miss from a great shot by Deco in the 51st minute. Racing’s clearest chance arrived soon after, when Valdés just managed to get a hand to a powerful shot by Serrano. In an attempt to recover the consistency of the first half, Rijkaard bought on Márquez for Gudjohnsen.

Messi reappears
As Barça hadn’t been threatening Coltordi’s goal for a while, it was necessary to bring on a genius in intimidation: Leo Messi. It was the right moment. His entrance gave more depth and speed to Barça’s game, yet Racing’s defence held out till the end. But then so did Barça’s, keeping a clean sheet and winning three more vital league points.

Goal :

1-0, Henry (30')


Source : FCB