FOXBORO – With the early returns just in, the Champions World Series has proven two things. One, if you provide U.S. fans with world-class soccer teams they will turn out in droves to watch. Two, this young Barcelona team is on its way to retaking its place among that elite group.
Barcelona, after dominating play and squandering a two-goal lead with five minutes to play, defeated Juventus 6-5 on penalty kicks after a 2-2 regulation before 30,912 at Gillette Stadium. A cynic might suggest the fix was in; but a purist saw entertaining top-flight soccer.
Just a few short months ago, Barcelona was a team in turmoil after back-to-back bad seasons; and in Catalan, a bad year is one that ends without hardware. But club presidential candidate Joan Laporta ran on a platform of bringing in superstars to turn the team’s fortunes.
It’s still preseason, but their fortunes already look up, after keeper Rustu Regber stoned Juventus’ Gianluca Pessotto on a penalty-kick, and Barca’s Carles Puyol buried one of his own to seal the victory.
The once-proud club finished last season in sixth place, the first time it finished out of top four since 1988. Worse, it hovered near relegation zone, weathering boardroom upheaval and financial woes.
But Laporta won the presidency, appointed Dutch coach Frank Rijkaard and – after failing to get David Beckham – brought in five new signings, including 23-year-old Brazilian Ronaldinho for $34 million.
With striker Patrick Kluivert re-signed to pair with young Argentine Javier Saviola _ who scored two goals yesterday _ this Barca side suddenly looks ready to contend again. That puts the pressure on Rijkard and Ronaldinho to produce, pressure they relish.
“If you had to choose between working or playing without pressure and working with pressure, you’d choose working with pressure, because that means you have possibilities,” Rijkard said. “In a city like Barcelona everybody wants to win something, lets go for it.”
Kluivert wasn’t at yesterday’s game, being turned away for visa issues, but the game was entertaining enough without him.
Saviola intercepted a bad pass, and as he raced toward the goal, Nicola Legrottaglie hogtied him and wrestled him down in the box, earning a yellow card and giving the young Argentine a penalty kick, which he buried past keeper Gianluigi Buffon’s fingertips for a 23rd minute tally. He found the net again in the 41st minute.
Gianluigi Buffon made a diving save of Patrick Anderson’s 41st-minute header off a corner, but Saviola was standing right in front of the goal unmarked for a header and a 2-0 lead.