Tide turns before El Clasico

Andy Mitten, Spanish Football League

• Last Updated: November 22. 2009 11:20PM UAE / November 22. 2009 7:20PM GMT

Barcelona’s Lionel Messi lies on the pitch after injuring his thigh against Bilbao at the San Mames. Angel Martinez / Getty

BARCELONA // Real Madrid go into next Sunday’s El Clasico at Barcelona as Spain’s Primera Liga leaders.

Manuel Pellegrini’s side started well, but were ultimately unimpressive at home to a Racing Santander team which had won just one of their league games all season. A 22nd-minute Gonzalo Higuain goal was the difference between the two sides, though Karim Benzema had a wonderful back heel ruled out for offside.

The Bernabeu crowd, which had booed Real from the field in their last game against third tier Alcorcon, were equally restless and Racing’s Sergio Canales had a late equaliser dubiously ruled offside.

“The game wasn’t as tight as the scoreline suggests,” said Pellegrini. “On another day, playing worse, we would probably have scored more goals.”

Up north in Bilbao, Barcelona met perhaps the best Athletic side of recent seasons, yet the Catalans have won their last five games against the Basques and they dominated possession in the first half. Lionel Messi was clear through after 18 minutes, but saw his shot saved by the legs of Iraizoz.

Their captain Xavi also had a good chance to give Barca the lead, but the best opportunity of the first half fell to Athletic when Javi Martinez headed wide of an open goal in the 45th minute. Realising he had missed a gifted chance, his head was still in his hands as the whistle went for the break.

Barca did take the lead in the 53rd minute when a glorious Xavi pass found Daniel Alves, who had run unsighted past the Athletic defence to slot a low shot into the corner.

Athletic were level nine minutes later when Gaizka Toquero shot past Victor Valdes after Joseba Llorente headed the ball into his path. As Barca went in search of a winner, Messi, who had earlier been kicked in the chest by Amorebieta – an incident which went unnoticed by the officials – was replaced by Bojan.

The 19-year-old Catalan-Serb striker became the youngest player to make 100 Barca appearances, but he could not add a second and nor could Thierry Henry, who was introduced to a swirl of boos from the home crowd with seven minutes left.

The Basques have long held an affinity with the Irish and their chants of “Athletic! Athletic!” reverberated around one of Spain’s grandest old stadiums, known affectionately as “The Cathedral”.

“As well as being a hard place to play, Athletic marked us tightly in a strong defensive display,” said Barca goalscorer Alves.

“The league is long but we cannot drop too many points along the way,” added Valdes. “It is a shame that Madrid will come to Camp Nou as leaders.”

It was later announced that Messi had a torn left thigh muscle, which will keep him out of Tuesday’s key Champions League game with Inter Milan at Camp Nou. A defeat combined with a win for Rubin Kazan would put Barca out of the Champions League.

“The outlook is not good,” said the coach Pep Guardiola, who will also be concerned at the possibility of having his best player missing against Real.

Fellow striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is suffering from the same injury, while Eric Abidal and Yaya Toure missed the game in Bilbao due to swine flu.

In Saturday night’s other games, third-placed Sevilla kept the pressure on the leaders with a 2-1 win at promoted Tenerife. Goals in each half from Diego Perotti and Renato ensured Sevilla are just two points behind Barca, three behind Real.

Deportivo La Coruna’s fine form continued with a 2-1 home win against an Atletico Madrid still marooned in the relegation zone.

The Galicians remain in fourth, but they had to come from behind to an early Sergio Aguero goal.

His Argentinian compatriot Diego Colotto levelled for Depor, but they waited until the 90th minute to confirm the three points, when the Mexican Andres Guardado converted a much disputed penalty after Pablo Ibanez had brought down Alberto Lopo.



amitten@thenational.ae