Las Palmas 0 - Barcelona 0

Las Palmas: Nacho González; Angel, Olías, Schurrer, Paqui; Jorge (Eloy 83'), Carmelo (Josico 60'), Samways, Pablo Lago (Orlando 75'); Rubén, Tevenet. 4-4-2.
Barcelona: Bonano; Puyol, Andersson, Frank De Boer, Coco; Luis Enrique (Geovanni 68'), Xavi, Cocu; Kluivert (Rochemback 59'); Saviola, Overmars (Gabri 51'). 4-3-1-2.

Team changes: Las Palmas: Angel, Samways for Edu Alonso, Alberto / Barcelona: Luis Enrique, Xavi, Cocu for Gabri, Rochemback, Gerard.

Goals: None.

Barcelona were held to a dull scoreless draw at Las Palmas, and lose ground on leaders Depor. Rexach decided not to take Rivaldo with him to the Canary Islands, the Brazilian striker having only just returned from a gruelling trip play for his country in their World Cup qualifying games, and Saviola kept his place up front after scoring twice the week before. Xavi did return though after his much shorter trip to Portugal with the under 21 side (as did Angel for Las Palmas), and Luis Enrique and Cocu both came back after injuries (although both will miss the next league match after picking up their fifth yellow cards of the season during this game).

For a side who had scored four goals the week before Barça showed a surprising lack of adventure, and when they did go forward they were bogged down in a packed midfield. The two best players on the park though were Nacho González and Bonano and both made important saves, with the pick of the bunch a save from Luis Enrique by the former in the first half and a stop by the latter from Tevenet's free kick after the break. The only time that Bonano was beaten, Frank De Boer was there to save the day from Jorge.

Referee López Nieto contributed to the excitement (or lack of it) turning down penalty claims from both sides in the first half, a hand ball by Angel in the area and a trip by De Boer at the other end. As the game wore on Rexach took off forwards (much to the disgust of Kluivert) and Fernando Vázquez put them on, finishing with four strikers on the park for the last ten minutes. But nothing was going to alter the result, and both sides had to make do with a point. Barcelona drop a place to third, and Las Palmas fall to fifteenth, only a point now above the relegation spots.