In a Tuesday match at Camp Nou, the Werder Bremen was a draw, and if you didn’t know this team, it could be assumed that the Germans would put the starting account on hold. But we Werder know too well to suggest such nonsense. The leader of the Bundesliga is not only the most dashing, but also the most nonchalant team in Germany: in 15 championship matches, the Bremen have already conceded 19 goals - the same as the standing “on the fly” Hamburg. To sit out on the defensive for the “Bremen” was pointless - you won’t sit in such a place. And the intentions of the team of Thomas Schaaf to play with Barcelona in the oncoming courses were indicated from the very beginning.
But in the starting 20 minutes, “Barca” did not give “Werder Bremen” even a squeak under the pressure of his tongue twister. At the 13th minute, the 12th goal of the season was scored by Ronaldinho, replacing the injured Eto'o as the Catalans. The Brazilian already happened to beat two or three opponents in the course of his assists, but this time seven were fooled - the wall and the goalkeeper. The wall, when breaking through the penalty box, bounced, waiting for a Ronaldinho-typical sweeping strike, and the goalkeeper could only glance at the ball, which the Brazilian rolled strongly, accurately and cunningly into the far corner.
Five minutes later, Ronaldinho did something no less outstanding. His diagonal against Julie, who pulled right, was so calibrated and timely that the Frenchman and Goodyonson got a lot of time to deal with Wiese. But they did it immediately. The entire attack took a total of three times less time than it took you to read this paragraph.
For the remaining 72 minutes, the initiative, in the formal sense of the word, went to Werder Bremen, who finished the match with a noticeable advantage in many indicators: 20:12 - shots on goal, 57% to 43% - possession of the ball. But these figures are fraud worse than the data of the Soviet Goskomstat. Barcelona controlled the game. “Werder Bremen,” of course, pressed - the good is what, Diego alone is worth something. But it was no Sturm und Drang. The pressure did not shake the stability of the host defense, and the brilliant series of “Bremen” of 16 productive matches in a row was over. And if the “Bremen” still scored - “Barcelona” simply would have scored more.
The Catalan creators this evening turned out to create masterpieces by the conveyor method. Two more masterpieces - but can you say otherwise? - Paz Ronaldinho decorated the second half. First, the Brazilian sent from one half of the field sent Goodyonson one on one Wise, but he did not fail. At the 79th minute, Ronaldinho took the turn himself, magnetized almost the entire Werder defense and, without turning his head to the right, but feeling Goodyonson's jerk with some sixth sense, rolled the ball to him for another rendezvous with the goalkeeper of the Bremen. But he again played great.
And most clearly the fiendish power of their attack, “Barcelona” demonstrated in the 35th minute. Deco with an incomprehensible jerk with a ball from his own penalty passed 70 meters of space. Goodyonson gave an incomprehensible dribbling - before breaking into the post, he beat Wome, Merntezaker, Naldo, and then again Wome. But the most incomprehensible thing in this attack was created, of course, by Julie: he hit on completely empty goal from six meters and missed. What can I say - geniuses.
“Barcelona” is again one of the clear favorites of the Champions League, although yesterday they doubted its advancement to the 1/8 finals. Now, for these doubts, it’s even somehow inconvenient.
BARCELONA Spain - WERDER Germany - 2: 0 (2: 0)
Goals: 1: 0 - Ronaldinho (13), 2: 0 - Gudjohnsen (18).
BARCELONA: Valdez, Motta (Thuram, 62), Marquez, Puyol, Gudjohnsen, Julie (Escerro, 85), Ronaldinho, Zambrotta, van Bronkhorst, Deco, Iniesta (Xavi 73).
WERDER: Wiese, Naldo, Wome (Junta, 80), Fritz, Diego, Klose, D. Jensen, Frings, Hugo Almeida (Klasnic, 71), Borowski, Mertezaker.
Warnings: Puyol (48), Motta (53), Wome (74), Frings (77), Diego (90).
5th of December. "Camp Nou". 22.45.
Judge: Buzacca (Switzerland).