Sevilla goalkeeper Javi Varas
saved a stoppage-time Lionel
Messi penalty to cap a brilliant
display as his team became the
first to shut out Barcelona in the
Primera Division at the Camp Nou
this season.
The game ended in controversial
fashion with Sevilla reduced to
nine men, Frederic Kanoute sent
off for two bookable offences
after the penalty award - the first
for kicking the ball off the spot
and the second for clipping Cesc
Fabregas around the head - and
Fernando Navarro following him
down the tunnel in the sixth
minute of added time.
But Barca could not find the
breakthrough as Varas frustrated
Pep Guardiola's champions,
saving everything they threw at
him to ensure Real Madrid - 4-0
winners at Malaga earlier in the
evening - finished the night top of
the standings by a point.
Barcelona goalkeeper Victor
Valdes broke his own record for
the most minutes played without
allowing a goal (577), but that will
be of little consolation to the
Catalan giants.
Andres Iniesta, who netted a
superb early opener in
Wednesday's 2-0 Champions
League win over Plzen, twice
went close to repeating the feat.
He was just unable to connect
with Messi's floated pass in the
sixth minute, and then got a low
shot on target from Adriano's
cut-back four minutes later only
for Varas to give a sign of what
was to come by making the save
with his leg.
Barca defender Eric Abidal handed
Sevilla a sight of goal in the 12th
minute when he misjudged a
cross and only succeeded in
chesting the ball towards Jesus
Navas, but Valdes smothered at
his feet.
Valdes was called upon again to
make a fine one-handed save in
the 20th minute after Dani Alves
had carelessly laid on a chance for
Navas.
Barca were controlling the tempo
of the game, though, and the
action soon returned to the other
end.
Alves was just unable to get his
shot away from a brilliant Xavi
pass and Varas came out at the
feet of David Villa to deny the
Spain striker as he looked to burst
through.
The former Valencia forward
finished off Barca's best move of
the first half five minutes before
the interval but again there was
no way past Varas. A flowing
move down the left involving
Adriano and Iniesta ended in the
ball being teed up for Villa, but his
shot was kept out by the keeper's
feet.
Messi surged down the right-
hand side of the penalty area on
the stroke of half-time but his
effort, deflected off defender
Federico Fazio, did not have the
beating of Varas.
The Argentina forward went even
closer to breaking the deadlock
three minutes after the break
when he curled a free-kick inches
over the bar.
Varas continued where he left off
in the first half, though, and
frustrated Barca again the 54th
minute by pulling off another
good save to keep out Iniesta's
first-time shot from Alves' pull-
back.
Barca threw everything at their
visitors as the half wore on,
Guardiola introducing Fabregas
and Pedro Rodriguez to bolster
his attack.
Chances continued to come and
go, but there was no way past
Varas.
Adriano fired just over while
Iniesta had weak shot
comfortably saved by the Sevilla
keeper, who had to be on his toes
midway through the second half
to avert the danger after Julien
Escude had directed Alves' pull-
back towards his own goal.
Iniesta got his foot to the ball
ahead of Varas in the 73rd minute
following a great piece of vision
by Messi, but looped his effort
just over the bar.
Messi's mazy run set up
Fabregas, but the opportunity led
to nothing more than a corner,
and the South American then
surged down the right and got
his shot away himself from a
tight angle but Varas was in the
way.
The clock was fast ticking down
but Barca looked to have been
handed a golden chance when
the referee pointed to the spot on
the stroke of full-time for a foul by
Fazio on Iniesta.
Sevilla substitute Kanoute held up
Messi's kick by nudging the ball
off its spot, earning his first
yellow card, and then clattered
Fabregas to see red and further
delay the taking of the penalty.
When Messi did step up, the
outstanding Varas pulled off the
save his performance merited as
the chance slipped away.
There was still time for more
drama as Navarro was given his
marching orders for bringing
down Villa, but Barca could not
make the most of the resulting
free-kick.
Final - Racing Santander 0-1
Espanyol
Final - Sporting Gijon 2-0 Granada
Final - Málaga 0-4 Real Madrid
November 17, 2009, 04:12:19 AM