Recreativo Huelva 2 - Barcelona 2

Recreativo: Sorrentino; Iago Bouzón, Quique Alvarez (Edu Moya 46'), Beto, Poli; Carlos Martins (Barber 82'), Jesús Vázquez; Camuñas, Marco Rubén, Aitor (Varela 62'); Sinama-Pongolle. 4-2-3-1.
Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Zambrotta, Puyol, Milito, Abidal; Xavi, Touré Yaya, Gudjohnsen (Edmilson 66'); Giovani (Messi 65'), Eto'o, Ezquerro (Víctor Vázquez 73'). 4-3-3.

Team changes: Recreativo: Iago Bouzón for Martín Cáceres / Barça: Abidal, Gudjohnsen, Giovani, Ezquerro for Sylvinho, Iniesta, Bojan, Henry.

Goals:
0-1. 01. Eto'o. Got clear of marker to head Giovani's cross wide of Sorrentino.
1-1. 43. Marco Rubén. Header from Sinama cross which referee ruled cross line.
1-2. 46. Eto'o. controlled Ezquerro headed pass and curled shot in off bar.
2-2. 65. Marco Rubén. Headed Camuñas cross into empty net after Valdés slipped.

Barcelona's possibilities of winning the league this season are rapidly disappearing, and they are still six points behind leaders Real Madrid after drawing 2-2 with Recreativo on Saturday evening. With less than a minute on the clock Eto'o got on the end of Giovani's cross to head past Sorrentino, and Xavi could have added to the lead had he decided to shoot rather than cross when free on goal. But with the first half coming to an end referee Clos Gómez awarded a controversial goal to the locals after Valdés stopped a header from Marco Rubén on the line, his linesman ruling that the ball had crossed the line before being cleared.

Giovani brought a good save out of Sorrentino before the break though, and just one minute after the restart Eto'o restored the lead with a spectacular shot from outside of the area. A few minutes later Valdés was called upon to tip a shot from Sinama over the top, and then push out a long effort from Martins at the second attempt. But twenty minutes in to the second half the keeper misjudged a Camuñas cross, slipping over as he tried to rectify allowing Rubén the easiest of tasks of heading in from the far post.

Messi had made his reappearance after a long injury lay off minutes earlier, and he did try a couple of runs to no avail. But Barça had failed again, and after only win in their last seven league games even second place is slipping from their grasp. Recre were happy with a point though which takes them four above the drop zone pending Sunday's games.