12 March 2007, by Sean Gillen

Deco’s Barcelona earn dramatic draw in enthralling encounter

Barcelona 3-3 Real Madrid

Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick, including a last minute equaliser, as 10-man Barcelona salvaged a point from a memorable ‘Grande Clasico’ encounter with arch rivals Real Madrid to return to the top of La Liga.

Both sides went into the biggest club game in the world in disarray, having each been dumped out of the Champions League in midweek. It would prove to have no effect on the quality of the match, however, with the teams serving a great show of football.

Real Madrid struck first after just five minutes, silencing the 98,000 home fans when Ruud van Nistelrooy was afforded too much time on the edge of the area, and the Dutchman calmly placed a low shot past Valdes into the right side of the net.

The home side responded well, and Casillas had already been called upon to deny Samuel Eto’o before the Cameroonian striker slid the ball through to Messi inside the area for the youngster to slot past Spain’s number one.

Almost immediately Real went up the other end and won a penalty when Oleguer caught Guti inside the box. Van Nistelrooy stepped up and sent Valdes the wrong way for his second of the match and the third goal of an incredible opening fourteen minutes.

Barca’s reaction to the setback was again positive, and they got back on level terms when Ronaldinho played a nice one-two with Eto’o before seeing his shot saved by Casillas, but the ball fell at the feet of Messi and the youngster hammered it into the roof of the net.

Non-stop action

Messi should have got his third shortly after but his poor finish hit the side netting. Salgado then made a crucial interception at the back post to stop Eto’o getting to a Ronaldinho cross, while at the other end Higuain’s shot took a deflection off Thuram before whistling past the post.

Deco had a quiet evening going forward, but he did spark into life shortly before half time. The former Porto man broke down the right and brilliantly cut inside Gago before picking out Iniesta 20 metres from goal, but the young midfielder’s shot was saved by Casillas.

Just seconds before half time Barca were reduced to ten men when Oleguer, already on a booking following his challenge for the penalty, caught Gago with a late tackle and received a second yellow.

Following the dismissal, Barca manager Frank Rijkaard made an unexpected and brave decision at half time. Star striker Eto’o, who was heavily involved with both goals and much of Barca’s best play, was sacrificed in order to bring on defender Sylvinho.

The result was a much less fluid Barca attack, and Madrid began to look more dangerous. Van Nistelrooy drew three saves from Valdes as Barca desperately tried to stay on level terms, but Madrid took the lead for a third time when Sergio Ramos headed a Guti free-kick into the top corner of Valdes’ goal.

Iniesta and Marquez had attempts on goal for Barca, and Rijkaard threw on Eidur Gudjohnsen in the closing stages as Ronaldinho also went close but again found Casillas in top form.

The champions were not to be denied, and Messi capped the best performance of his young career with a sensational 91st minute equaliser, bursting past Helguera and delivering a sweet left-footed finish into the bottom corner to keep Barca five points ahead of their bitter rivals.

Frank Rijkaard (Barcelona coach)

“The draw is a good result, mainly from a morale stand-point against a team that had a man extra. Before the match, we would not have taken a draw, but right now we are satisfied with the result, which I think can be considered a success.”

Lionel Messi (Barcelona scorer)

“It was a special game as I’d already played two matches against Madrid at the Bernabeu, and, despite playing well, I hadn’t been able to score. It was an outstanding debt that I had to pay and, luckily, I was able to score a hat-trick.”

“The sending off influenced the course of the game and I’m sure that with eleven against eleven we could have won, but the draw was something to be proud of in the circumstances.”

Barcelona:
Valdes, Oleguer, Thuram, Puyol, Marquez (Gudjohnsen, 81), Iniesta, Xavi, Deco (Belletti, 71), Messi, Ronaldinho, Eto’o (Sylvinho, 46)
Yellow Cards: Oleguer (13), Marquez (29), Xavi (48), Deco (52)

Real Madrid:
Casillas, Salgado, Torres, Ramos, Helguera, Diarra, Gago, Guti (De La Red, 81), Raul (Robinho, 61), Higuain, van Nistelrooy
Yellow Cards: Ramos (21), van Nistelrooy (44), Diarra (67), Michel Salgado (71), Gago (93)

Goals:
[0-1] van Nistelrooy, 5
[1-1] Messi, 11
[1-2] van Nistelrooy, 14 (pen)
[2-2] Messi, 28
[2-3] Sergio Ramos, 73
[3-3] Messi, 91