Xavi Nou camp farewell and Messi twice score...........FCB and DLC 2-2
Xavi's Camp Nou farewell was spoiled slightly as Deportivo La Coruna fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 against Barcelona and guarantee their Primera Division survival in the process.
Long-serving midfielder Xavi will bring an end to an 18-year Barca career when he leaves for Qatari side Al-Sadd in the summer and Lionel Messi looked to have given him the perfect send-off when he scored in both halves to put the newly-crowned champions into a 2-0 lead.
But Deportivo were fighting for their top-flight lives and Lucas Perez gave them hope with an exquisite long-range strike in the 67th minute before Diogo Salomao also struck from distance nine minutes later to earn a priceless point which preserved their top-flight status.
Barcelona won their fifth La Liga title in seven years when they beat deposed champions Atletico Madrid last weekend and, with Copa del Rey and Champions League finals to come in the next fortnight, there was a party atmosphere at the Camp Nou before kickoff as the fans prepared to say goodbye to their all-time leading appearance maker.
The home fans were celebrating as early as the fifth minute when Messi headed Rafinha's pin-point cross beyond Deportivo goalkeeper Fabricio and into the back of the net.
Messi thought he had doubled Barca's advantage in the 14th minute but he was ruled offside and the Argentina international was denied again moments later as Fabricio saved smartly before he stood firm to deny Pedro.
Xavi had the chance to sign off with a goal but his shot late in the first half was deflected behind for a corner, but Messi did double Barca's advantage in the 59th minute when Neymar beat the offside trap and set up his team-mate for a simple close-range finish.
Deportivo looked doomed at that point as Eibar, 18th prior to kick-off, were winning 3-0 at home to Cordoba, but Perez gave them hope in the 67th minute when he spun on the edge of the penalty area before unleashing an unstoppable shot into the top left-hand corner.
Substitute Haris Medunjanin rattled the crossbar for Deportivo a few minutes later before their top-flight status was confirmed for at least another season when Salomao's long-range strike flew past Barca keeper Jordi Massip and into the back of the net after Medunjanin's free-kick had been blocked.
Xavi left the field to a standing ovation when he made way for long-standing central midfield partner Andres Iniesta in the 85th minute, but his final home game would end in a stalemate as his none of his team-mates could not find a winner before the full-time whistle.
User Comments:
- First T-20 match without shakib and tamim india loss
- At the age of 85, goodbye to cricket
- Shakib Ranking position change
- Bangladesh ended the first day of the unbeaten century
- Saif Hassan disappointed the chosen in the first roles
- Proteas defeats the Lankan in 2nd ODI
- IDB expresses concern over changes in Islami Bank
- 20 potential ECS names nominated
- Could not believe that Sunny Leone wanted him in 'Laila Main Laila' Shah Rukh Khan
- India beat England in the 1st T20 match
- Look your best on Valentine's Day
- Priyanka said that India will always be identified
- Global banking rules agreement 'once the dust settles in the United States
- May trumpet as host of the first foreign leader
- Do not interfere in the Bangladesh case, Qadir says foreign
- Turkey's ambassador to Dhaka
- 'Ice Age: New trailer collision: the threat of global asteroids
- Bale hits real winner
- Woman found dead in a city hotel
- Withdrawal of unemployed nurses strike
- Tangail filed on Hindu murder case
- Foreign Minister meets King Abdullah Foundation trip in Saudi Arabia, Prince Turkey
- Hasina praised Bangladesh bowling sensation Mustafizur
- Rains in Sylhet, the heat wave plays extra time in the rest of Bangladesh
- BNP chief Khaleda sees more danger than ever before in Bangladesh
- I do not want it, I want to win: Dunga
- Asks the Bangladesh government to take a strong position against killer:Denmark
- My mom is not here to meet Neetu Kapoor, Katrina Kaif clear
- ICC World T20: England Qualify For Final
- Tonu murder sad every part of the army, says ISPR
- ADB Bangladesh sees FY GDP growing at 6.7% in 2015-16
- Court orders arrest of Khaleda's deadly bus firebombing in Dhaka
- Standard Chartered cards stop working due to a down server
- Corruption can progress obstruction of a country: President
- The uncertainty of the cloud cleared, Hero 420, released Friday
- To suggest pollution to protect your skin
- Trouble in Parliament to answer questions on the delay Interior Minister
- Hasina urges teachers to promote sports
- 5D can record human history!
- I'm still a child, says Kareena
- Saudi, Russia agreed oil production freeze
- Twenty20 World Cup announced
- The death of former chief Boutros-ghali UN
- Arrest warrant issued against Daily Star editor
- Per capita income of Bangladesh 2014-15, increasing to $ 1.316 in fiscal year
- Khaleda Zia subcommittees for BNP
- BSMMU Abdul Hannan appointed new Register
- Citizens can update fingerprints for the ceremony at the office
- Executes N Korea army chief
- Twenty20 Women World Cup team announced
- Star Journo concern over the threat to the leader, its editor
- US 'Intel warning of the details of the terrorist group in Bangladesh
- To be tried Padma bridge 'conspirators': Prime Minister
- Road crashes: High Court order on all hospital emergency service
- muslin and fund research: analyst
- Chief Justice appeal eats division into three judges
- Keraniganj prime murder suspect killed in shootout school Abdullah: RAB
- Bangladesh lost a High Court for staff accommodation
- ICT sentence Taher, Noni Netrokona death
- Ghazipur knife 2 DB
- French minister at the UN sends carbon pricing
- '' Now it Rabby no bar
- Khulna JCD President Kamran held
- Police want Bank Medical College
- Fakhrul went to Singapore for treatment
- Apple warns iPhone sales to fall
- Kristen Stewart speaks up on gender inequality
- China to increase JVs in Bangladesh
- Konta 33-year British drought to break beats Zhang
- India waives visa fees Bangladesh
- Patient's death: 2 CTG doctors get bail
- Specialised police to combat terrorism: PM
- The school forced students to buy additional books
- Romance to change you as a person does
- AL betrayed the spirit of liberation war: khalida
- World Cup 2015: Dhoni's men will be wary of Bangladesh
- An eve teasing incident scarred my life
- Man allegedly kill wife
- 44 years later widows receive justice: sajib wazed joy
- Employee bonuses decline at Cognizant
- Happy loses Lawyer
- Shamsul Hoque Khan School top....... in Dhaka broad
- BNP leader Nasir Uddin Ahmed Pinto dies
- Proteas defeats the Lankan in 2nd ODI
- Dr. Yunus...................Three Zero Theory
- Turkey's ambassador to Dhaka
- 20 potential ECS names nominated
- Mashrafe-Rubel broke the English lineup
- Think different! Try sex in storeroom
- Khaleda Zia subcommittees for BNP
- IDB expresses concern over changes in Islami Bank
- High Court says : Why not second time in DU
- Woman found dead in a city hotel
- Kim Kardashian to strip nude again
- Tangail filed on Hindu murder case
- Refused bail petition of ..... Ruhul Kabir Rizvi
- Could not believe that Sunny Leone wanted him in 'Laila Main Laila' Shah Rukh Khan
- Romance to change you as a person does
- Finance Minister AMA Muhith to place budget for seventh time... Budget
- Look your best on Valentine's Day