Barça left to rue missed chances (1-1)

Roger Bogunyà

FC Barcelona and Mallorca drew 1-1 at the Nou Camp tonight after a first half in which Barça had plenty of chances to kill off the game.

With Xavi and Adriano both injured and David Villa suspended, Guardiola ended the game with Messi, Bojan, Iniesta, Thiago, Jeffren and Nolito all in attack as the team searched for the winning goal than never came. Barça deserved more, particularly after the attacking display of the first 45 minutes in which Messi put them ahead with a great goal, but Nsue’s equaliser knocked them back and although they did make chances in the second half, they were unable to repeat the great football of the first 45 minutes.

Great start

Barça overran Mallorca with a fantastic start, full of possession and chances and playing at great pace. Iniesta was pulling the strings in Xavi’s absence and Keita was getting through to dangerous positions from midfield. The opener came after good work from Alves and a sensational back heel from Pedro set up Messi to fire what few would have though then, was going to be Barça’s only goal of the night.

Draw against the run of play

The team were clicking together perfectly and an incisive Abidal, Piqué, Keita, Bojan and Messi again all had chances to extend the lead, but the rub of the green just didn’t go their way and when Nsue headed in a corner on 41 minutes, it certainly seemed cruel luck for Guardiola’s team who’d been playing some of their best football of the campaign.

Control lost

That equaliser seemed to knock Barça off their course and they failed to take control at the start of the second half, when Nsue and Kevin both had chances to put the visitors ahead. With Thiago on for Keita and Messi as their principal threat up front, Barça couldn’t lift themselves up from the toe to toe contest the game had now become and they were unable to play the game in their preferred control mode.

Pressure mounts

The last 15 minutes saw the team laying siege to Aouate’s goal, with Nolito and Jeffren both brought on to add firepower, but there was perhaps a little too much heart and not enough head in the attacks, though Bojan had the chance to seal a win, only for his effort to hit the post late on – a fitting end to an evening when luck failed to smile on Guardiola’s team.