UEFA Champions League Update: Barcelona Get 2-0 Away Win At VfB Stuttgart
Last season’s Spanish La Liga runner-up FC Barcelona visited the home pitch of German Bundesliga Champions VfB Stuttgart, and embarassed them at their own backyard with a 2-0 win in matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League group stages.
FC Barcelona made it two UEFA Champions League wins from two games after edging an exhilarating Group E encounter away to VfB Stuttgart thanks to goals from Carles Puyol and Lionel Messi.
Barcelona had an easy 3-0 win against French Ligue 1 champions Olympique Lyonnais in their opening UEFA Champions League group stage fixture, and Barca expected that it was going to toughter against German Bundesliga champions Stuttgart. Barcelona superstars Thierry Henry, Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho worked well with one another but could not find a breakthrough. Instead it was Barca defender Carles Puyol, who came in from the bench on the 7th minute to replace the injured Rafael Márquez, who was able to fire a goal.
Carles Puyol scored in the 53rd minute when he picked up a rebound from a Ronaldinho header. Stuttgart keeper Raphael Schäfer was able to make the initial block off Ronaldinho’s header from a Barca corner, but it landed straight into the path of Carles Puyol, who fired it into the net to give Barca the lead. Barcelona’s Carles Puyol did not celebrate for long, however, as he limped off midway through the second period.
In the 67th minute, Barca’s Thierry Henry dribbled past the Stuttgart defense and selflessly took his time in finding Lionel Messi open in front of the goal. Thierry Henry selflessly cut the ball back even if he had a clear shot on goal, and Lionel Messi was able to fire the ball between Stuttgart keeper Raphael Schäfer and defender Roberto Hilbert and into the back of the net.
The only surprise in the end was that there were only two goals. The first half alone saw 26 breathtaking attempts on goal from both Bareclona and Stuttgart. However, most of those came from Barcelona’s attacking force of Deco, Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi and Thierry Henry.
German Bundesliga champions VfB Stuttgart had their chances through the efforts of Arthur Boka, Alexander Farnerud and Mario Gomez, but Barcelona keeper Victor Valdes was very alert at allowing any goals and maintaining a clean sheet.
Barcelona’s win over Stuttgart puts them at the top of Group E with 6 points tied with Scottish Premier League runner-up Rangers FC. Ironically, it’s the French Ligue 1 champions Olympique Lyon and German Bundesliga champions VfB Stuttgart who have not secured a win in the group stages of the 2007-08 UEFA Champions League.
Barcelona’s next group stage match for the UEFA Champions League will be against Rangers FC when Barca visits the Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow, Scotland on October 23. Notwithstanding a draw, we might just find a solo leader in Champions League Group E.
Meanwhile, Lyon will be visitors at Stuttgart. Both Lyon and Stuttgart will be looking for their first Champions League win on October 23.
To bet on Barcelona vs. Rangers FC, VfB Stuttgart vs. Lyon and other group stage matches of the 2007-08 UEFA Champions League, click here.
