Messi saves Barcelona the blushes

Pressing ahead

Bilbao coach Marcelo Bielsa sought to beat Barcelona at its own game by pressing the European champions and looking for young playmakers Iker Muniain and Ander to create chances for Spain striker Fernando Llorente. “We aimed to take the game to them,” Ander said.

Bilbao’s daring approach paid off when Ander received a pass from Markel Susaeta at the edge of the area and curled his right footer into the right side of the net for the opener. Bilbao goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz did well to block Dani Alves’ strike from a set piece,but could do nothing when Fabregas rose above his marker to guide home Eric Abidal’s well-placed cross to momentarily silence the crowd.

Puddles of water appeared on the pitch after halftime,slowing down the ball but not the flow of the game. Bilbao went ahead for the second time when Abidal’s clearance took a deflection off Llorente before Pique inadvertently redirected in into his own net. But in the dying moments Messi pounced on his own rebound to fire it into the corner of the net to earn the away draw.

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola was full of praise for both teams. “How they run,I’ve never seen a team run so much,how they plug the spaces. It’s absolutely (a Bielsa) team,” Guardiola said about Bilbao,which is undefeated in 10 straight games overall.

“What a spectacle these 22 players put on. This is one of the best games that I have been in and that’s because both teams went out to win.” Even so,this is the first time Barcelona has trailed Madrid by three points since Guardiola took over as coach of his former team three years ago.

At Santiago Bernabeu stadium,Madrid had little trouble recording its seventh consecutive league win. Angel Di Maria set up Madrid’s 23rd-minute opener when he picked out Ronaldo at the near post with a cross for the Portugal forward to flick into the net. “My goals are not important,what counts is that the team wins,” said Ronaldo,who has scored 13 goals in the league and 17 overall.

No upsets

Ibrahima Balde pulled one back for Osasuna in the 30th,but any thoughts of an upset quickly evaporated as four minutes later Di Maria sent in another cross for Pepe to head home at the far post. The 23-year-old Di Maria then completed his playmaking display with his league-leading 10th assist in the 40th when he slid the ball into the area for Gonzalo Higuain to curl into the right side of the net.

“The first half was tough for us playing against a well organised team,but after they equalised we had a little luck to go back ahead,” Madrid coach Jose Mourinho said. “Then in the second half it is difficult for any team to play with 10 men.”

Also,10-man Getafe jumped from last place to 14th after rallying to beat Atletico Madrid 3-2. Striker Helder Postiga equalised in stoppage time to secure a 2-2 draw for Zaragoza against Sporting Gijon. Miguel “Michu” Perez scored twice as promoted side Rayo Vallecano thrashed 10-man Real Sociedad 4-0,sending the San Sebastian-side to the bottom of the table. Racing Santander at Granada and Villarreal at Espanyol both finished 0-0.

‘Too many clubs in La Liga’
Zurich: Meanwhile,Barcelona president Sandro Rosell has set off a debate saying the number of clubs in Spanish La Liga should be reduced and the spending of wealthy foreign owners should be limited. “By reducing the number of clubs in the league,all the clubs will become more competitive,” Rosell said during a debate at the International Football Arena conference,suggesting an initial cut to 18 clubs before losing two more.

“FIFA and UEFA and national associations are earning more money,players’ agents and players are earning more money,but the clubs are losing money. Something is wrong with the equation,” he said.