First Division - Day 15

Barcelona 2 - Deportivo 1

Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Zambrotta (Deco 46'), Puyol, Milito, Sylvinho; Xavi, Márquez, Iniesta; Messi, Eto'o (Bojan 64'), Ronaldinho. 4-3-3.
Deportivo: Munua; Manuel Pablo, Piscu, Coloccini, Filipe; Antonio Tomás (Sergio 57'), De Guzmán; Cristian (Lafita 75'), Verdú, Guardado; Xisco (Taborda 64'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Barça: Zambrotta, Sylvinho, Eto'o, Ronaldinho for Abidal, Touré Yayá, Gudjohnsen, Bojan / Deportivo: Munua, Antonio Tomás, Cristian, Xisco for Dudu Aouate, Sergio, Riki, Bodipo.

Goals:
0-1. 02. Cristian. Picked up ball on right wing and fired long shot over Valdés.
1-1. 40. Ronaldinho (penalty). After Iniesta brought down by Cristian inside area.
2-1. 71. Xavi. Turned ball in after Munua could only push out Puyol's cross.

Barcelona stay in second place after recovering from an early goal down to beat Deportivo 2-1. The Galicians surprised their rivals when ex Blaugrana Cristian beat Valdés with a long shot in only the second minute. Eto'o was back in the line-up which saw him rejoin Messi and Ronaldinho after a long injury lay-off, but he was unable to turn in a chance soon afterwards. Valdés saved a long effort from Filipe and Xisco headed over when free in what appeared to be an offside position. But Ronaldinho tested Munúa (playing for the first time this season in place of Aouate) with a free kick, and five minutes before the break he equalised from the penalty spot after Cristian barged over Iniesta in the area.

There was another re-appearance when Deco came on at half time, but he too was short of match practise. Munúa saved from Eto'o and Piscu almost put through his own net, but Depor were putting up a good fight and Valdés had to save from Guardado and Manuel Pablo. With twenty minutes to go though Munúa could only palm out a cross from Puyol, and Xavi was there to score from close range. The result maintains Barça's 100% home record this season, and leaves the Galicians further down in the relegation spots.