Barcelona got off to the perfect start at the Camp Nou, but Shakhtar Donetsk have made them work very hard for their 2-0 lead. The game began with Andres Iniesta picking up a lucky break in the form of a deflection from an attempted Lionel Messi pass, receiving the ball unmarked in the middle of the area and slotting coolly past goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov, who had absolutely no chance to make the same. Iniesta turned provider on the second goal with a delightful floated diagonal ball over the top for an onrushing Dani Alves, who controlled brilliantly with his first touch and flicked the ball into the net with the second.
FC Barcelona Vs. Shakhtar Donetsk, 2011 UEFA Champions League: 2-0 Barcelona At Half Time
So, it’s 2-0 to Barcelona at half time, which is about what everyone expected. However, the hosts are only two goals to the good thanks to some terrible Shakhtar finishing, some desperate challenges, and a little bit of luck. The visitors could easily have had a penalty and converted three easy chances, and only a massive intervention from auxiliary centre back Sergio Busquets prevented Barcelona from giving up the equaliser when the score was still 1-0. It’s been, in other words, and insanely open game.
Barcelona are clearly the better side here, but Shakhtar, more than any other team they’ve played recently, are doing their best to match them at their own game. It’s not going to work, but it is making for some very tense, fun football, although one suspects that the home side will be able to relax a little bit now that they’re 2-0 up.
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