Elche 0-0 Barcelona: Lionel Messi and Co still in the title race despite drawing blank
Barcelona limped forlornly into the last weekend of the season after a flat goal-less draw against Elche… yet remarkably they do so still with a chance of winning the league.
If they beat Atletico Madrid at the Camp Nou next week they will retain their La Liga title but while Atletico are flying full of self-belief while Barça still seem resigned to finishing the season empty-handed despite their rival's failure to confirm themselves as Champions on Sunday night.
Had Atletico Madrid won against Malaga it would all be over but they drew and so Barcelona’s failure to score does not cost them the league… at least not yet.
Drawing a blank: Lionel Messi and Barcelona could only manage a draw with Elche
Dominant: Barca had 69 per cent possessions and 20 shots
Disbelief: Adriano falls to the floor after failing to score late in the game
MATCH FACTS
Elche: Herrera, Suarez, Cisma, Sanchez, Rodriguez, Pelegrin, Gil (Boakye 79), Perez Minguez, Corominas (Chaves 89), Marquez (Rivera 75), Mendes.
Subs not used: Mantecon, Albacar, Herrera, Alvarez.
Booked: Perez, Cisma, Pelegrin.
Barcelona: Pinto, Dani Alves, Adriano, Busquets, Bartra, Mascherano, Fabregas (Xavi 81), Iniesta, Messi, Sanchez, Pedro (Tello 68).
Subs not used: Montoya, Song, Afellay, Sergi, Olazabal.
Booked: Pedro, Mascherano.
Att: 33,069
Ref: Fernando Teixeira Vitienes
No wonder Barcleona are planning a major clear-out at the end of the season and a change of manager. Celta Vigo coach Luis Enrique, who saw his side beat Real Madrid on Sunday night, will take over from Tata Martino at the end of the campaign. Martino once again failed to play the right hand leaving Xavi on the bench and starting with Cesc Fabregas in midfield.
Barcelona should have taken the lead on 38 minutes when Manu Herrera saved a cross-shot from Leo Messi who was the visitors' brightest player.
Andres Iniesta had a shot pushed on to the bar and both Alexis and Pedro were wasteful as Barcelona tried to break a stubborn Elche side down.
The home team were playing for their lives and both Pelegrin and Domingo Cisma were booked for fouls on Messi as they tried to resist Barcelona's attacks.
Frustration: Barca defender Marc Bartra reacts after a missed chance
Off target: Pedro also has his head in his hands after he missed as good opportunity
Messi again took too long to shoot at the start of the second half as Herrera denied him once more.
This
was familiar territory for Barcelona - having to break down a side
playing with 10 behind the ball and without their old speed of thought
and pass they were struggling. Coach Martino was now pacing nervously up
and down in front of the visitors dug-out looking at his watch and the
players he had warming up.
Midway through the second half came the news from Madrid that Malaga had scored and the pockets of Barcelona supporters in Elche’s Martinez Valero stadium celebrated though those celebrations only lasted as long as Diego Simeone's side got themselves back on level terms.
This was always going to be a difficult game for Barça because Elche have the second best defensive record at home in the league and the best in the lower half of the table. They had only conceded four goals in their last 10 home games and not lost at home in 2014. Madrid had only won here earlier in the season thanks to a fortunate injury-time penalty. But with the league at stake this was still tame from the Champions.
The old Barcelona side built by Pep Guardiola and Tito Vilanova that broke scoring records with Messi outscoring most La Liga sides on his own have unlocked similar defences but Martino’s team has stopped playing for the Argentine and many Barça fans would argue that Messi has stopped playing for the team.
Diving in: Colombian midfielder Carlos Sanchez puts in a strong tackle on Cesc Fabregas
Tug: Messi is pulled back by Javi Marquez as he tries to dribble towards goal
Cutting in: Dani Alves tries to dribble his way past Elche defender Domingo Cisma
As news began to filter through of Atletico Madrid’s equaliser Barça fans knew another for them would mean the title was finally gone.
Carlos Boyake broke away and almost gave Elche the lead - a result that would also have finished their season but Elche are in relegation trouble because they can’t finish and the striker squandered the chance.
In the end it didn’t matter. Elche got the point that keeps them up and sorry Barça, a shadow of their former selves had to settle for the same, though in doing so they go into the final weekend of the title race still with a chance of winning the league. Next week's last home game for them will be the ultimate decider.
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