Cagey Liverpool play it cool

Daily Mail13 April 2012
Barcelona 0 Liverpool 0

Even in a low key uneventful match, Pep Guardiola's worth to Barcelona still shone through.

Everything flowed through the influential 29-year-old midfielder, recently described by club president Joan Gaspart as 'the heartbeat of Barcelona'.

Indeed, such was his involvement in taking the ball out of defence and setting up attacks that by the 10th minute he had already clocked up as many touches as most players manage in an entire match.

Not that it was getting his side far as Liverpool coped comfortably enough with Barcelona's early Guardiola-inspired probing.

Michael Owen's lightning pace had been singled out by Frank de Boer as the weapon that was likely to cause most anxiety in the Barcelona ranks.

Owen looked eager to live up to his pre-match billing, though Emile Heskey showed that he was no slouch either when Liverpool broke free of defensive duties and posed their first semblance of a threat in the eighth minute only to put over a wayward cross.

While Guardiola was the willing workhorse for Barcelona, Rivaldo provided the spark of creativity up front.

A clever first-time flick turned Marc Overmars' low 10th-minute cross into the path of Patrick Kluivert and looked like causing problems until Sami Hyypia lunged in with a saving tackle.

After seeing his efforts as a provider go to waste, Rivaldo went for the direct approach soon after as he set his sights from 25 yards.

The low drive had all the usual venom but struck Hyypia on the heel and drifted wide. The Brazilian maestro was clearly warming to his task and set up another opening in the 11th minute with a knock- down that Luis Enrique sliced wide.

For all their UEFA Cup exploits so far against the likes of Roma, Olympiakos and Porto, Liverpool were looking subdued as Guardiola overshadowed Steven Gerrard in midfield.

Guardiola had Sander Westerveld struggling with a curling left-wing free kick that sailed beyond the keeper's reach and had to be headed behind by Markus Babbel.

Westerveld's narrow escape came in the 24th minute and was followed four minutes later by the first real glimpse of Liverpool as an attacking force. Heskey's ball sent Patrik Berger scampering clear down the left with enough time and space to look up and deliver a dangerous low ball across the six-yard area.

Danny Murphy was closing in at the far post until Sergi stretched out a foot to knock it behind for a corner.

Stephane Henchoz was at least sticking to his daunting mission of shadowing Rivaldo but came unstuck in the 36th minute.

Seeing Rivaldo shaping to shoot as the ball dropped onto his favoured left boot 25 yards out, Henchoz hurled himself into an attempt to block a shot that never materialised.

Rivaldo checked the swing of his left leg at the last moment and dragged the ball inside before rifling a right foot effort wide.

With Guardiola and Rivaldo dictating, little had been seen of Philip Cocu until the Holland midfielder belatedly introduced himself three minutes from half-time.

Taking aim from 25 yards, the stylish playmaker's crisp drive flew a yard wide of the Westerveld's left hand post.

Jamie Carragher kept Liverpool on terms in the 55th minute.

Sergi's cross eluded the Liverpool defence but Carragher threw himself towards the far post to block Luis Enrique's effort.

Barcelona were pressing but, equally, Liverpool were maintaining their discipline.

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