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Showing posts with label Barcelona. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Barcelona. Show all posts

Luis Enrique felt Barcelona deserved better in draw with Roma

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique felt his side deserved better after a 1-1 draw at Roma in the first game of their Champions League title defence on Wednesday.




Barcelona coach Luis Enrique felt his side deserved better after a 1-1 draw at Roma in the first game of their Champions League title defence on Wednesday.
A wonder goal by Roma's Alessandro Florenzi cancelled out Luis Suarez's opener and Barca could not find the winner - although Leo Messi came close at the Stadio Olimpico when he struck an effort off the crossbar.
"It has been a great game from us," Luis Enrique said to Italian TV station Mediaset. "I'm satisfied with what I've seen on the pitch.
"Florenzi's goal was fantastic and allowed Roma to get back in the game. We had 70 per cent of possession and plenty of chances to double our lead.
"But Roma are a strong side and football is like this, if you don't score you risk conceding an equaliser."
The result at the Stadio Olimpico ended Barca's perfect start to the new season, with the Catalan giants having won their opening three La Liga games.
Luis Enrique, who coached Roma in the 2011-12 campaign, was surprised by the approach to the game of Rudi Garcia's Roma.
"I expected a more attacking team but instead they chose a different approach and it worked well for them," he said. "They did play a good game."
At the other end, Garcia applauded his players, saying: "It's a huge result for us to draw with Barcelona and it will really boost our confidence. We were tactically smart, we knew that against Barcelona you have to work hard and defend stoically.
"We could have done better in holding possession and being more dangerous on the counter, but I am satisfied. My players responded well and did what we had prepared."
Garcia believes last season's experience in the competition has helped his team to mature. Roma won just one and lost three, including a 7-1 defeat to Bayern Munich, in the group stages last term.
"This team has grown and last year's Champions League experience was important," he said. "We also brought in players like Edin Dzeko and Mohamed Salah who have already played in this tournament.
"Obviously all the players were great because you cannot hold Barcelona without all 14 players doing well, including those off the bench.
"We got the equaliser with that historic goal from Alessandro Florenzi that will be replayed many, many times."
Florenzi drilled a right-footed shot from just over the halfway line and the ball cannoned into the back of the net off the post to beat Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.
"It's not something that happens to you every day," the Italian defender said.
"Watching it back on video, I am getting emotional. I just thought I would give it a go and see what happens.
"We climbed Everest and stopped the strongest team in the world. We fought it out until the end."


Alessandro Florenzi's wonder goal earns draw for Roma against Barcelona

European champions Barcelona saw their perfect start to the season ended after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Roma at the Stadio Olimpico in Wednesday's Champions League Group E opener.






European champions Barcelona saw their perfect start to the season ended after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Roma at the Stadio Olimpico in Wednesday's Champions League Group E opener.
Luis Suarez gave Barca a 21st-minute lead but Roma equalised eight minutes later with a wonder goal from Alessandro Florenzi. The defender drilled a right-footed shot from just over the halfway line and the ball cannoned into the back of the net off a post.
Barca had plenty of chances to move back in front and were unlucky not to do so in the 78th minute when Lionel Messi, making his 100th Champions League appearance, saw his left-footed shot from the right side of the area hit the crossbar. Roma managed to hold on for a point to deny their former coach Luis Enrique a perfect start to the competition.
Barca started brightly and sent an early warning when Messi got past his marker and drilled a left-footed effort over the bar. A long spell of possession from the visitors ended with a Messi shot that went over the bar.
In the 18th minute, Daniele De Rossi made a vital block from Messi's goal-bound attempt as Barca got closer. But three minutes later and the visitors moved in front. Suarez headed home Ivan Rakitic's cross towards the far post to beat Roma goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.
Barca demanded a penalty in the 24th minute when Suarez went down in the area following contact from Szczesny. However, the referee waved play on. Roma pulled level, however, thanks to a brilliant long-range effort from Florenzi that gave visiting goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen no chance.
Barca reacted well and began to exert control as Messi saw several long-range attempts go over the bar. The Argentinian continued to terrorise the Roma defence and in the 38th minute, Messi got past his marker and struck a low shot from 12 yards that was only just kept out by Szczesny.
Roma's hopes looked to be dwindling when Rudi Garcia was forced to make his first substitution six minutes after the break, with Szczensy forced off and Morgan De Sanctis replacing him.
Barca surged forward and in the 76th minute Neymar came close to scoring but saw his goal-bound shot from the heart of the area blocked by Roma defender Kostas Manolas. Two minutes later and Roma had fortune on their side when Messi hit the bar with De Sanctis beaten, but the former Napoli custodian was at his best to repel Andres Iniesta's close-range shot.

With seconds remaining, Jordi Alba fed Neymar in the box and his effort was blocked by Manolas as Roma held on for a valuable point.

Barcelona held by Roma, Chicharito nets in Bayer Leverkusen win

Barcelona were held to a draw 1-1 draw at Roma as they got their Champions League defence under way on Wednesday night.





Barcelona were held to a draw 1-1 draw at Roma as they got their Champions League defence under way on Wednesday night.
Luis Suarez gave Barca a 21st-minute lead in the Group E contest but Roma equalised 10 minutes later with a wonder goal from defender Alessandro Florenzi.
Florenzi drilled a right-footed shot from just over the halfway line and the ball cannoned into the back of the net off a post.
Elsewhere in the pool, Hakan Calhanoglu scored a brace either side of Javier Hernandez's first goal for Bayer Leverkusen as the German side saw off BATE Borisov 4-1 at home.
Leverkusen took the lead in the fourth minute through a delightful Admir Mehmedi effort, only for their Belarusian opponents to draw level nine minutes later via Nemanja Milunovic's deflected header.
The hosts went back in front two minutes into the second half when Calhanoglu's shot diverted in off Dzyanis Palyakow.
Hernandez, signed last month from Manchester United, then marked his first Leverkusen start with a tidy right-footed finish in the 59th minute, before Calhanoglu converted a 75th-minute penalty.
Thomas Muller’s scoring hot-streak continued as he netted a brace to steer Bayern Munich to a 3-0 win at Olympiacos.
Muller put the Bayern ahead in the 52nd minute with a lofted effort from outside the box which looked as if it had been intended as a cross.
Substitute Mario Gotze then lashed in with a minute of normal time remaining, before Muller converted a penalty in stoppage time to take his tally for the season to eight Bayern goals and 11 overall, including those scored for Germany.
Meanwhile, Group F rivals Arsenal had striker Olivier Giroud sent off as they slumped to a disappointing 2-1 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb.
Dinamo took the lead against the run of play with an own-goal from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and after Giroud's dismissal on 40 minutes for a second bookable offence, the hosts doubled their lead through a powerful header by Junior Fernandes.
Despite a late goal from substitute Theo Walcott, Arsenal were left to reflect on another frustrating European away performance.
Chelsea had a far better time of it in Group G as they thumped Maccabi Tel Aviv 4-0 at Stamford Bridge.
Willian, Oscar, with a penalty, Diego Costa - on as a substitute after being omitted as one of six changes following the loss at Everton - and Cesc Fabregas scored as the Blues returned to winning ways.
Eden Hazard missed an early spot-kick at 0-0 but it mattered little come the final whistle.

Barcelona launch European mission at Roma

Barcelona begin their quest to become the first club to successfully defend their Champions League title when the Catalan outfit visit Roma in Wednesday's Group E opener.




Barcelona begin their quest to become the first club to successfully defend their Champions League title when the Catalan outfit visit Roma in Wednesday's Group E opener.
The Spanish giants beat Juventus in last season's final and are coming off a season that saw them clinch a Primera Division, Copa del Rey and Champions League treble.
"We are the champions and we will try to make history by winning the Champions League in successive seasons," Barcelona head coach Luis Enrique said, according to Spanish sports daily Marca.
The feat was achieved by multiple clubs during the days of the competition's predecessor, the European Cup, but since the Champions League launch in 1992-93 no side has managed back-to-back titles.
Luis Enrique will be facing one of his former clubs, while Lionel Messi will make his 100th Champions League appearance at the Stadio Olimpico.
Also in Group E, Germany's Bayer Leverkusen will host BATE of Belarus at the BayArena.
The Bundesliga side have advanced to the last 16 in each of their six attempts.
Chelsea have won just one of their six matches in all competitions and square off against Maccabi Tel Aviv in their Group G opener at Stamford Bridge.
Last season's Barclays Premier League champions have yet to win at home this campaign.
Porto travel to Ukraine to face Dynamo Kiev in their Group G opener.
The Portuguese club have not lost on their previous six visits to Ukraine.
Dinamo Zagreb are back in the group stages for the first time since 2012 and will be looking to end a 15-match winless run in the competition when Arsenal visit the Croatian club in their Group F showdown.
Also in Group F, Bayern Munich start their European campaign with an away trip to Olympiacos.
The Bundesliga champions reached the semi-finals of the competition for the fourth time in a row last season.
Valencia, back in Europe's top competition after a two-year absence, are at home against Zenit St Petersburg in Group H.
Also in their pool are Gent, who are playing for the first time in the group stages.
The Belgian club host a Lyon side who last played in the competition in the 2011-12 campaign.