Where Are You Going? Barcelona. Oh.

By: Sam | April 9th, 2008

Bojan versus Getafe last week A bit cryptic, that title (it’s a Sondheim lyric: Soundtrack to Company, the musical … lovely song). But I’ll be in Barcelona in less than an hour … in my mind.

At the Camp Nou, where Barça take on Schalke 04 in the Champions League quarterfinal second leg. Barça could advance with nil-nil today based upon their single away-goal at the glorious Arena Aufschalke in Gelsenkirchen last week, but I’m looking for an artful and effective performance.

See Graham Hunter’s match preview from Barcelona. Carles Puyol “calls for style & substance” after the soporific draw with Getafe at nil.

Tune in here …

o UEFA.com for the and live video feed ($9.95)
o ESPN’s live services (free)

… at 20:45 pm, Central European Time — which is 2:45 pm Eastern Standard Time (US).

Schalke were dumb-struck and ball-watching for at least the first 50 minutes in Gelsenkirchen. With some desire, and perhaps coffee, Schalke will appear this evening from the first minute. I’ll be watching Fabian Ernst to see if he’s still hiding from the ball. And to see if Marcelo Bordon, Schalke’s captain himself, will be still thinking more about scoring than keeping a solid defensive shape.

In the first leg, it was Schalke’s sleepiness in the 12th minute which gave classy Barça the window wide enough to drive an Iveco through. Barça — even playing without Messi, Ronaldinho or Deco — ooze class. They simply have it.

So not surprisingly it was Iniesta who, in the dead center of Schalke’s half, gathered a square ball from (Yaya Toure’ ? on) the far right side. Ernst looked like he wanted no part and Iniesta touched once to his left then fed with the outside of his right foot a lovely weighted through ball into the box for Henry’s inward diagonal ghosting run from the left side of the box. Henry looked as goofy as I have ever seen him, but he still managed on a second chance to get the ball to the teenager, Bojan Krkic, who finished with no problem from two feet, three inches out.

Bojan is the second-youngest player to score in the Champions League (or the “European Cup”, such as it was). Who can say the youngest?

I could not believe my eyes how slowly Bordan, the right peg of the Schalke center halves, moved across to his right (as Iniesta’s pass came through the gaping hole Bordan had left). This was characteristic of Schalke’s phlegmatic first half performance.

So, Schalke must have taken their caffeine at the break, as they gradually became a team over the latter 40 minutes.

I’m eager to see how they start tonight at the Camp Nou, whether the Germans are interested in having a football match. They are only one down, and Barça have looked pedestrian lately. My prediction (4 – 2) reflects a belief that the game will open up, but that Barça’s class will prevail.