Racing Santander 2 - Barcelona 2

Racing: Dudu Aouate; Pinillos, Oriol, Moratón, Ayoze; Matabuena (Raúl Martín 89'), Vitolo; Damià (Antonio Tomás 82'), Felipe Melo, Oscar Serrano; Antoñito (Pinilla 73'). 4-2-3-1.
Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Belletti (Gabri 56'), Rodri (Edmilson 69'), Puyol, Sylvinho; Van Bommel, Iniesta, Deco; Giuly (Maxi López 76'), Eto'o, Larsson. 4-3-3.

Team changes: Racing: Oriol, Moratón, Matabuena, Felipe Melo, Oscar Serrano, Antoñito for Garay, Pablo Alfaro, Antonio Tomás, Casquero, Jonathan, Juanjo / Barça: Belletti, Rodri, Sylvinho, Giuly for Oleguer, Motta, Van Bronckhorst, Ronaldinho.

Goals:
0-1. 17. Larsson. Connected with pass from Van Bommel to turn shot past Aouate.
1-1. 18. Antoñito. Picked up Serrano cross and turned Rodri to score past Valdés.
2-1. 22. Serrano. Collected long ball from midfield and held off marker to score.
2-2. 32. Eto'o. Steered angled shot wide of keeper after Giuly laid ball back.

Barcelona maintained their eleven point lead at the top of the table despite drawing 2-2 at Racing Santander on a rainy Sunday evening. After the midweek Champions League game, Rijkaard rested Ronaldinho, but he still put out a strong side and Larsson brought a good save out of Dudu Aouate early on. Antoñito got the ball in the net at the other end only to see his strike ruled out for offside, and soon afterwards Larsson opened the scoring after picking up Van Bommel's through ball to curl a shot wide of the keeper.

Just a minute or so later though Racing were back level, Oscar Serrano winning the ball off Belletti down the wing and crossing in for Antoñito to leave Rodri for dead and poke a shot wide of Valdés. And four minutes later the Cantabrians took the lead when Serrano picked up a high ball from midfield and held off two defenders to steer a shot past the keeper.

The visitors squared the match for a second time though after Deco's chipped pass found Giuly, the French winger playing the ball in to the path of Eto'o who drove an angled shot wide of Aouate. The Cameroonian striker was clearly angry after certain undesirables in the crowd once again chanted racist insults against him, although his kick against the corner flag in celebration of his goal inflamed matters further and referee Rubinos Pérez had to stop the game at one point to announce for the insults to stop.

The action continued for the rest of the first half, Deco hitting the post after a slip by the defence and firing another shot wide, and Damià being cut out by Rodri as he advanced on goal in between. But things died down after the interval, the only attacks worthy of note a flick by Felipe Melo from Ayoze's free kick which Valdés held on to, and a penalty appeal after Melo fell under a challenge by Gabri which Rubinos turned down. Barça ended the game with ten men after Puyol picked up a second booking right at the end, but by then the game was virtually over and both sides had settled for a point.