Barça tame the lions (1-3)

Jordi Clos

Barça have picked up a tremendous win away to Athletic Bilbao, who played the second half with ten men. Barça commanded from start to finish and won thanks to goals from Keita, Xavi and Busquets. Villa was sent off in the 86th minute.

Winning at such a famous stadium as the cathedral of San Mamés is always an occasion to savour. Without the injured Messi, Barça had to produce their very best to win three difficult points, but it was definitely the best side that won. With Amorebieta red carded at the end of the first half, FCB made their numerical superiority count, and Keita soon opened the scoring. Xavi stretched that lead, but in the hectic final minutes, Villa was sent off and Bilbao pulled one back before Busquets secured the three points.

Villa hits post

It never has been and never will be easy to win in Bilbao, and this was a classic encounter, with end-to-end football in the pouring rain. But the weather took away none of Barça’s inspiration, and neither did the lack of space offered to them, and they produced the combination game in the centre of the park that was occasionally missing against Sporting. Home stopper Iraizoz warmed his gloves with an 11th minute save from Keita and two minutes later Villa struck the post after an outstanding assist from Iniesta (min 13).

Basques down to ten

This was an evident clash of concepts. Athletic played a vertical game, and were strong in the air, but couldn’t find a way past the imperial Piqué and Puyol. Barça, meanwhile, stuck to their passing game and looked as composed as ever, a situation that would be intensified in the 34th minute when Amorebieta was shown red for a nasty and quite unnecessary tackle on Iniesta. The home fans were enraged by what seemed a fairly good call by the referee, while FCB used the additional space to start moving into danger areas with more decision. But it was still scoreless at the break.

Keita scores
With the damp conditions even worse in the second half, and the home fans even more vociferous than before, the Lions came close when Javi Martínez saw his 49th minute effort hit the woodwork. But most of the action was heading in the other direction. With Barça conducted down the wings by Iniesta and Pedro, it was just a matter of time before the visitors scored and that happened when Villa sent a magnificent pass the way of Keita, who slotted the ball home past Iraizoz (min 55). Moments later Pedro could have made it two, but the Bilbao keeper was there to save the day … for the time being.

Xavi kills the game

Barça were quite happy playing their waiting game, and this was causing more and more frustration for Athletic Club, and tiredness started setting in. The extra man was telling, and Alves was able to play more as a midfielder than a full back, while Iniesta hit the post and Villa was causing danger all over the shop. Finally, it was Xavi in the 72nd minute who did the inevitable and made it 2-0 from the edge of the area.

It looked like it was all over, but there was more to come when Villa was sent off with four minutes to go and then Gabilondo scored in the 89th minute to make it 2-1. It was an unsettling moment for Barça, but that is all it was, a moment, because the brilliant Busquets then finished off a Pedro counter attack with a cheeky chip to put the game beyond the reach of the despairing Basques. They may call Bilbao the Lions, but Barcelona tamed them tonight.