Contrary to the anachronistic-trivial assertion that “the team plays as the other team allows it,” the rivals played the way they wanted to on Sunday night in Barcelona (the match crowned the tour program). Their strengths were knowledge of the competitor's trump cards in the absence of a great desire to resist them.
Dancing in this argument is necessary from “Valencia”, which is the sixth season in a row coming back from Barcelona not light. But not with a full wallet - no one else's. Last season, this confrontation fell on the same fourth round. But it was a little like a match between trendsetters. Then the teams had only one victory. And the second nobody deserved what the goalkeepers took special care of. About ten minutes before the end, Canisares dropped the ball under Deco's feet in a thunderous situation. And before that, Victor Valdes, knocking him out of the box, hit Villier in the back, and the unfolding striker hit the already empty “frame”. Nowadays such incidents have not happened. But there was a feeling that they could - if necessary, influence the plot.
Then nothing would have prevented Dowden Ibanez from blowing the whistle when Eto'o contacted Miguel at the culmination of the duel. After all, the Portuguese in his own penalty box, let's say, hit the Cameroonian foot more than the ball. Literally in the next combat, but away from the goal, the opposite happened, and the referee gave the Catalans the right to a free kick. Just because Ayala, of course, was going to foul, although he did not have time to put his intentions into practice. He already earned such an account, which sometimes plays instead of him. By the way, Ronaldinho hit the wall, which was more like a black and white fence with garnet blue splashes. Moreover, the multi-colored poles were not going to move apart, and no one except the Brazilian claimed a striking role - a kind of penalty with a dummy wall.
Talking about the lineups and team schemes is only appropriate when recalling injuries (Valencia had much more, and Villa was not quite healthy on the field), but there are previews for the tour. We only note that the complications and ingenuity of the “bats” were hardly affected by medical complications. There was perhaps one indirect consequence. In the match of the previous round against Getafe on the left flank of the defense played a nominal attacking midfielder Regeiro. The standard move of Kike Flores, practiced since the day the footballer appeared on the team: the player is good, and his usual place is usually taken. In Barcelona, guests dispensed with the Uruguayan, releasing the purely destroyer Moretti on the field. Regeyro defender attacked according to the situation, and now those were by definition excluded. But on the other flank, Miguel, who was more free to choose, defended himself. It was he who co-authored the first goal: after running over his brow, he cut the ball to Vilya, who hit the goalkeeper in the opposite direction. Inertia played against the hosts not only in this episode. “Valencia” continued the offensive, and soon the same Villa rocked Victor Valdez already in the other direction, but hit the post.
In the second half, “Barca” took the initiative - it seemed that “Valencia” it was not needed. Before the break, Marquez made so many mistakes in the center of the defense of the land that their repetition was ruled out by probability theory. And also, of course, Puyol. The Catalans also have another irreplaceable player - Iniesta. Its indispensability is in the talent to replace anyone at any time. It is him who usually raises Ricard from the reserve first. Especially in losing situations like Sunday, when such figures with an indefinite residence on the field are especially useful ... Ronaldinho left a throw in the penalty area, Eto'o landed his ball head closer to the center, where Iniesta pushed against him in a big and successful way - 1: one. Soon, the best substitute championship in a similar situation could differ again. Then, perhaps, in the construction of the plot would have to dance already from the owners ...
Yuri DOVNAR
| BARCELONA - VALENCIA 1: 1 (0: 1) | 
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Goals: Villa, 17 (0: 1), Iniesta, 49 (1: 1)
“Barcelona”: Valdes - Marquez, Puyol, Van Bronhorst, Edmilson (Iniesta, 45), Xavi, Ronaldinho, Zambrotta, Messi (Saviola, 85), Deco, It's About
Valencia: Canisares - Miguel, Ayala, Moretti, Albelda (Viana, 90), Vicente, Joaquin, Albiol (Navarro, 76), Silva, Edu, Villa (Angulo, 78)
Warnings: Albelda, 20; Marquez, 34; Moretti, 39; Joaquin, 90
September 24th . Camp Nou, 23:00 *.
Judge: Dowden Ibanez.
NOTE: match start time is Moscow.
Announcement of the 4th round
| TEAMS | AND | AT | N | P | M | ABOUT |
| Real | four | 3 | one | 0 | 7-1 | ten |
| Barcelona | four | 3 | one | 0 | 10-3 | ten |
| Valencia | four | 3 | one | 0 | 6-2 | ten |
| Seville | four | 3 | 0 | one | 11-5 | 9 |
| Atletico | four | 3 | 0 | one | 7-3 | 9 |
| Deportivo | four | 2 | one | one | 5-4 | 7 |
| Recreative | four | 2 | one | one | 5-4 | 7 |
| Getafe | four | 2 | one | one | 3-2 | 7 |
| Zaragoza | four | 2 | 0 | 2 | 9-6 | 6 |
| Levante | four | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4-8 | 6 |
| Osasuna | four | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4-5 | 6 |
| Mallorca | four | one | 2 | one | 2-3 | five |
| Gimnastic | four | one | one | 2 | 4-6 | four |
| Villarreal | four | one | one | 2 | 3-5 | four |
| Espanyol | four | one | 0 | 3 | 2-6 | 3 |
| Betis | four | one | 0 | 3 | 6-6 | 3 |
| Celta | four | one | 0 | 3 | 5-8 | 3 |
| Athletic | four | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2-8 | 2 |
| Real Sociedad | four | 0 | one | 3 | 4-9 | one |
| Racing | four | 0 | one | 3 | 2-7 | one |
SNIPERS: Eto'o (Barcelona), Canute (Sevilla) - 4 each, Kepa, Renato (Sevilla), van Nistelrooy (Real M), Maxi Rodriguez (Atlético) - 3 each, Diego Milito, Aimar, Everton (all - Zaragoza ), Calle, Santi Cazorla (both Recreativo), Morientes, Villa (both Valencia), Capo (Levante), Portillo (Gimnastic), igić (Racing), Nelo Bayano (Celta), Capdevilla (Deportivo), Messi (Barcelona) ), Raphael Sobis (Betis) - 2 each.
5th TOUR. 09/30. Athletic - Barcelona. 1.10. Seville - Getafe, Mallorca - Villarreal, Zaragoza - Levante, Deportivo - Real Sociedad, Recreativo - Betis, Real M - Atletico, Racing - Celta, Espanyol - Osasuna, Valencia - Gimnastic.