Someone in the stands has a ‘Paulinho, please give me your shirt’ banner. They didn’t have those at White Hart Lane.
Maybe will get Andone on to annoy the Barcelona defence as Deportivo chase the game. He sort of striker that really does give their all, evening if he rarely gets the reward in front of goal.
We are going to see plenty of replays of the disallowed Deportivo goal but really it was fair enough from the officials seeing as Schar was in front of Ter Stegen.
Half-time: Deportivo 1-2 Barcelona
There have been some great moments from Barcelona, which resulted in the goals from Coutinho and Messi. Deportivo have held their own and could be level if things were a little different but they are certainly not out of this thanks to Perez’s goal.
43 min: This has been one of the tougher tests Barcelona have faced in the league in recent months. Depor came back strongly from that Messi goal, rather than letting their heads drop after was a wonderful move from the league leaders.
Goal! They had threatened before the second for Barcelona and now they have a goal. Borja Valle was played into space down the left from where he pulled the ball for Lucas Perez to slot a shot into the corner.
Updated
at 3.27pm EDT
Goal! Dembele spins on the halfway line and runs at the Depor defence before laying it to the right for Suarez to cross to the back post where Messi is running into space. The ball landed perfectly onto his left boot and he angled the volley perfectly to double the lead. That’s 30 goals for Messi this season, which isn’t bad.
That’s a lot of times…
Kevin Simons
(@kcsimons)@Will_Unwin I’ve seen Iniesta play over 500 times, yet each time I see him he does something unexpected, delightful, and inspired. Just a great player and great to watch.
36 min: Deportivo are going down fighting, which is refreshing to see in the modern game. They will just be really annoyed they are not yet level and hopefully that frustration won’t boil over as it has threatened to do on a couple of occasions.
34 min: Krohn-Dehli swings one in but Semedo reads the danger and heads it behind for a corner. The resulting set-piece bounces onto what seemed to be the arm of Rakitic, not penalty was awarded but then Colak flung in another cross for Schar to get his head onto it six yards out, but he powerfully sent it well over. He really should have done better.
32 min: Almost an equaliser as Borja Valle runs in between two defenders to try and get on the end of an inswinging cross from the right but he can only get a toe on, which sends the ball just wide.
30 min: Ruben dives full stretch to his left to turn away Messi’s 25-yard free-kick. It looked set to go in the top corner but it was a superb save from the goalkeeper.
29 min: Messi is bundled over by Schar, who is already on a yellow, but he stays on the pitch. Maybe the punishment from Messi’s free-kick will be more severe…
27 min: All pretty calm, apart from the weather. Although Ter Stegen lives things up by sending the ball 30 yards straight to a Depor man and then Borja Valle smashes it well over, which is a shame.
25 min: Going from back to front in about 15 seconds without anyone having to sprint is a decent sign that you’re a good passing side. Sadly for Barcelona, it ends with the ball going out for a corner.
23 min: Barcelona move down the right with the ball as Dembele sends it to the byline for Semedo to pull back but the onrushing Suarez sends it wide when under pressure from Albentosa.
20 min: Suarez has just chucked in a lovely flick into Coutinho from out on the touchline but then Schar decided to stop the play by pulling back the Brazilian, resulting in a card for the defender.
17 min: No Goal! If you like your flags very very late then that is for you. The corner came in and Albentosa headed it towards the top corner but Ter Stegen palmed it away only for Arsenal legend Lucas Perez to tap in but it is ruled that there was an offside, so the goal was ruled out.
15 min: The hosts are having some possession now in the final third but no one seems to possess the required cunning to open up their visitors. Lots of rain in Galicia, which is no surprise.
13 min: Depor have an attack, which results in Colak picking up a loose ball on the edge of the area but the second he passed the white line of the box, he threw himself to the floor. Needless to say, the penalty was not awarded. Nice try, mate.
11 min: Barca are passing it around nicely and opening up gaps in the defence but not just getting a shot away on a couple occasions as Depor crowd out Messi following a dribble into the box.
More Iniesta loveliness…
Mark_IKN
(@IKN_Mark)@Will_Unwin Iniesta “universally liked” is best summed up by the way arch-rivals Espanyol always applaud him when Barsa play there. Genuinely down to earth guy, too. Enjoys his good fortune and SmashyNicey does a lotta great work for chaaaariteee (doesn’y like talking about it)
9 min: Could be a long night for Depor who are witnessing first hand why Barcelona are going to win the league. They are working very hard to contain the Catalans but it is really tough work.
Goal! It looked like Dembele would get a shot away from 12 yards but he was superbly tackled by Luisinho, only for the Frenchman to regain possession, before laying it off to Coutinho who curled it straight into the top corner. Looks like Barca will be winning the title tonight.
5 min: The cameras keep cutting to Seedorf as he patrols the touchline, waiting for something to happen in the game. Dembele tries to do a few tricks but it comes to nothing as he is tackled after confusing only himself.
3 min: Pique has tried a 40-yard pass across the pitch which was easily cut out but that is about it so far in Galicia. There is a little bit of atmosphere of flags to keep everyone amused.
The Barcelona away does not get me going, if I am being honest. But the Deportivo fans like it so much that they are giving them a guard of honour. It’s quite nice of them but they haven’t won the league just yet and if they don’t win today, they will go down. I guess it is classy in some way but potentially shows too much respect.
Keep your praise for Iniesta coming in.
John McEnerney
(@MackerOnTheMed)@Will_Unwin Iniesta a giant of the game in every sense of the word. Sublime vision, technique & grace, left me wide eyed many times at his brilliance while making it look so effortless. Criminal he never won the Balon D’Oro. Best playmaker in the last 20yrs. Some player that lad!
Is Iniesta off to Manchester City? Guardiola was very Trumpian in his response.
I’m not going to promote the fake news. He decides his own future and he has decided to go to China and play there and he’s going to finish there.
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at 2.36pm EDT
Messi is five goals clear in the Pichichi race, so it will not anticipate being caught by Ronaldo who is his nearest rival and tonight is a great chance to add to his league total of 29. If he does take the award, it will be the fifth of his career.
I cannot see the two sets of fans doing much of this tonight, but the away team only generally being about 47 people in Spain.
Barcelona are really going for it tonight with Suarez, Messi and Dembele up top, not to mention Coutinho in midfield. Not something Depor will be looking forward to. I like Albentosa and Schar but I can’t seem them enjoying the evening in northern Spain.
A title victory and relegation in one game would be enjoyable for all involved, apart from Depor. Can you remember any similar occasions?
There are 12 points up for grabs for Depor, who are 11 points adrift of safety, so Raul Albentosa has to trot out a few lines about how survival is possible, even though it really is not.
Barcelona are a big team that want to come and win the league, and we want to get out of this sticky situation whichever way possible.
We still have options and we have to make the most of them until the end.
Messi paid tribute in the way all modern footballers do, by Instagramming about his team-mate.
Andres, thanks for all these years of football.
It was a privilege to enjoy this sport by your side and spend so many unforgettable moments together.
I wish you all the best in this new era for you, on a sporting level and in life. You are a phenomenon on and off the pitch. Without a doubt, we’re going to miss you.
Starting line-ups
Deportivo: Ruben, Juanfran, Albentosa, Schar, Luisinho, Celso Borges, Guilherme, Krohn-Dehli, Emre Colak, Borja Valle and Lucas
Subs: Koval, Navarro, Mosquera, Fede Cartabia, Andone, Valverde, Muntari
Barcelona: Ter Stegen, Semedo, Pique, Umtiti, Jordi Alba, Rakitic, Busquets, Coutinho, Dembele, Messi, Luis Suarez
Subs: Cillessen, Denis Suárez, Iniesta, Paulinho, Paco Alcácer, Aleix Vidal, Vermaelen
Preamble
¡Hola!
This day has been coming for a while, as Barcelona have once again shown they are superior to all of those in Spain, even if they have let themselves down in the Champions League. Last week they taught Sevilla a lesson or five about how to play football and Deportivo are far from being comparable in quality to the Andalucians.
A lot of the focus this week has been on Andres Iniesta and the beginning of his long goodbye from the Nou Camp as he heads further afield to finish his career in less glamorous but, more than likely, more lucrative surroundings. His standards have not slipped, although he rarely completes 90 mins but he wants to go out on a high and not with attributes fading in the twilight of his La Liga career.
Sadly for Deportivo, this could be confirmation of what has been coming for a long while this season: relegation. It’s really been one to forget for them. Clarence Seedorf has done what he can to keep them in the league – and they are unbeaten in four – but really a miracle was required to keep them up and they have fallen well short.
Updated
at 12.53pm EDT
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