We’re going to wrap this blog up now. You can catch up with all the other scores here:
Thanks for reading. Bye.
What an incredible turnaround. Deportivo looked dead and buried, but found something from somewhere, and for the second straight season, they’ve come away from Camp Nou with a 2-2. Barcelona were cruising, Luis Enrique made a raft of substitutions, they lost their rhythm, and some bad defending allowed Deportivo in. A really enjoyable game, and huge credit to the visitors: they deserve a point for showing some considerable gumption.
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Full-time: Barcelona 2-2 Deportivo
That’s it!
90 min +4: Ooh, Lucas went too early, and the offside flag is up. If he’d held his run, he was completely through on goal.
90 min +3: Deportivo have erected a wall on the edge of their box, and Barcelona can’t find a way through. A minute left.
90 min +2: That could have been a free-kick on Iniesta, right on the edge of the box. Neymar, sitting high in the stands, is irritable. How have Barca managed to blow this lead?
90 min +1: Cardoso got excited in the box there: again, Depor broke forward with pace and purpose, but Cardoso shot for goal instead of looking for a team-mate, and the results were predictable. High, wide, horrible.
90 min: Depor have nine men back behind the ball now. Atlético Madrid will be hoping they stay solid. Four minutes of injury time.
88 min: Where have this Depor been hiding all match?! This past 20 minutes has been excellent: they’ve looked so dangerous on the break. For Mathieu it’s been a horror show. Can Barca nab one in the last two minutes?
86 min: This is insane. Deportivo streaked forward again, Barcelona were all over the place, and Lucas fed Alex, who had come up in support from his defensive midfield role, and he just lashed one past Bravo as Mathieu tried in vain to block! Brilliant strike, much like Rakitic’s earlier. Really pure and clean, and what a comeback this is! Luis Enrique looks seriously pissed.
GOAL! Barcelona 2-2 Deportivo (Alex Bergantiños 86)
Unbelievable!
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84 min: Deportivo stream forward again with four attackers, but Fajr’s curler from 20 yards is too high. They could have made more of that; they had a man over and Barca were short.
83 min: Luis Enrique, arms folded, looks jumpy. Iniesta is down briefly after being caught late, but he’ll be OK.
81 min: I’d have to see it again on replay, but I think Mathieu made a mistake by not going back with Lucas just then: it was the wrong decision to try to play offside. Depor have found their mojo, and Cardoso is free at the back post, but his shot is high. This isn’t over yet.
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80 min: Ooh, Depor were nearly in again down the right. Mathieu was sleeping, Juando, I think it was, got to the byline and crossed, but no one could turn it home! Then at the other end, Messi is inches away from connecting with Suarez’s clever pass. This game has suddenly got interesting.
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78 min: Mathieu had literally just jogged on to the pitch, and he tried to step up as Lucas ran on to Cardoso’s pass – but the Frenchman got it wrong, Lucas was in, and his left-foot shot was beautiful: he waited for Bravo to move, and then passed it beyond him. Game on!
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GOAL! Barcelona 2-1 Deportivo (Lucas 77)
Brilliant from Lucas!
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76 min: Goal for Depor? No! Offside. Cardoso’s shot deflected up and on to the bar with Bravo beaten, and Lucas headed in the rebound, but he’d gone a fraction too early, and it was the right call. Such a shame for Depor, and for Lucas, who’s been the visitors’ standout player.
Final change for Barcelona: Mathieu on for Jordi Alba. Barcelona happy with what they have.
74 min: Lux comes out decisively to catch Messi’s cross. But Barca are attacking in waves, and Iniesta finds Suarez in the penalty box, with a chance to shoot – it’s offside.
72 min: The shaven-headed Lauré is called for a foul, and was that a card? It’s another good position for Barca. And another change: Sergi Roberto in for Rakitic, who gets a standing ovation.
70 min: Cardoso looks to made an immediate impact, but his shot bobbles wide. It’s the 21-year-old’s La Liga debut. What a place to make it!
69 min: Messi looks as though he fancies another goal or two. His hunger and desire to score goals and play football is just so admirable. Final change for Deportivo, and Cardoso replaces Juanfran.
67 min: Very tough for Depor to come back from this, although they did it last season, I suppose. Barcelona have climbed aboard their passing carousel, and it’s great to watch.
Change for Barca: Sandro, who has done well, is replaced by Munir.
64 min: He’s such a classy player, isn’t he, Rakitic? Makes it look easy. Could have played international football for Switzerland, of course, but Croatia must be delighted Slaven Bilic got to him early.
63 min: That was a lovely pure strike – really one for the purists. Depor had men back, but no one pressed the ball, and when Rakitic received it 25 yards from goal, he took a touch, had time, and speared one past Lux. A beautiful clean hit, and he didn’t try to blast the cover off it: a hint of bend, and, again, Lux clutched thin air. Superb.
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GOAL! Barcelona 2-0 Deportivo (Rakitic 62)
A rocket from Rakitic!
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58 min: Barca cranking it up, and it’s a corner. Rakitic takes it short, and Messi goes for goal after gliding past two defenders, but he’s just eased off it, and it’s over the bar.
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56 min: On replay, that was probably the right decision. Alba looked onside as he ran on to Messi’s pass, but Suarez had probably strayed. Just. But it was really close.
Change for Depor: Luis Alberto in for Jonathan, who was game, but could have made more of that opportunity at 0-0.
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55 min: Suarez has the ball in the net … but it’s offside! Messi’s dink over the top for Jordi Alba is inch-perfect, and Alba’s square pass finds Suarez all alone in front of goal, but it looks like the Uruguayan went too early, and it’s no goal. That was extremely close.
54 min: Oh, Alves let one slip under his foot, and Jonathan was away – but his pass for Lucas was overhit. That was an opportunity: Depor had two v two there.
52 min: Oh, Sandro looked certain to score after brilliant work from Suarez by the touchline, but a Depor collective do just enough to get there first. Alex Bergantinos, I think it was, with the crucial intervention.
50 min: Juando, incidentally, is in for Luisinho, which probably means more of an attacking threat from Depor.
49 min: Deportivo’s third forward burst in this second half, and Fajr’s wonderful pass releases the substitute Juando down the left, and that’s a fine cross for Jonathan, but he can’t keep his effort down. Another chance!
48 min: Bravo claims easily. That was a waste.
47 min: But Depor come forward again, and force a corner, their second. Chance from the set piece?
We're back
46 min: Depor get us under way, and immediately they’re on the attack, with Lucas marauding at pace, but Jonathan’s shot with the outside of the right foot is feeble, and Bravo saves comfortably.
Here’s Michael Hollitscher: “I remember watching the Super Depor team absolutely batter Barca at the Camp Nou sometime about 02-03. Barca were absolute garbage that year, at least until they bought Davids at the Christmas window. They were somewhere around 15th at the break, something we’ll never say about Barca again.”
Yeah, what a Deportivo team that was. They won 4-2 at Camp Nou in April 2003, when Roy Makaay scored two in one of the best performances from a visiting team in that grand old stadium. The season after, Depor won 2-0 in the November, but Barcelona loaned in Davids in the January window, went on an incredible tear, finished second, and Frank Rijkaard kept his job. The rest is history, etc etc.
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Messi’s been the difference. Barca started like a train, but Depor settled into the game, and had frustrated Barcelona with their defensive block, but then Messi showed why he’s so good: a free kick for the ages, and the league leaders are ahead.
See you shortly.
Half-time: Barcelona 1-0 Deportivo
That’s the half.
44 min: Pique slides in to win it, but it breaks kindly for Fajr in midfield, and Depor have a chance to break. The Moroccan’s forward pass is overhit, however, and it’s out for a goal kick. Shame.
43 min: The goal has sapped Depor’s energy. They want half-time.
41 min: That was so good. Depor had dug in, and Barca were finding it tricky to break them down, but a piece of individual brilliance and the hosts are ahead. That’s Messi’s fifth league goal of the season.
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39 min: Oh my: what a goal! Just brilliant. Thirty yards out, to the right of centre, and Messi just curls one, with fizz and dip and supreme accuracy, into the top corner. Lux grasped thin air, like a drunk pursuing a bus. Amazing from Messi!
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GOAL! Barcelona 1-0 Deportivo (Messi 39)
What a free kick!
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37 min: Suarez goes down, and cries out as though the pain is unimaginable, but he’s OK, and gets the free kick. Chance for Barca here.
35 min: Alves fires one in from distance, but it’s over the top, and he looks up to the heavens for succour. Richard Dawkins won’t like that!
33 min: This is good from Deportivo. Barcelona aren’t having it all their own way, and the visitors have an intermittent but significant threat on the break.
31 min: Barcelona force a corner, but they can’t make anything of it. Alves’s cross from the right finds Suarez free in the box, who leapt well, but his header is too high.
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29 min: Slight break in play; Jonathan was bleeding from the nose. He’ll be OK.
28 min: Messi drops his shoulder outside the penalty area and goes for goal, but his shot is over the bar. Now Suarez turns quickly, but he shoots for goal rather than finding Jordi Alba, who is free on the left. The wrong option, probably.
Luis Enrique does some pointing on the bench. He’s wearing a lovely aubergine sweater underneath his smart jacket.
25 min: Another fabulous pass by Iniesta, but Sidnei, the Brazilian, does well to come over and cover. Gah, it’s Sidnei who’s the Benfica loanee, not Luisinho! Apologies for my earlier idiocy. Jonathan the other.
“This type of football from Iniesta would make Ebenezer Scrooge smile,” marvels Ray Hudson on commentary.
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23 min: Ooh, Barca were nearly in: Iniesta released Jordi Alba in the penalty area, but his cutback for Suarez was well read by Sidnei.
21 min: Lucas has been doing his best work from the right side, meaning Jordi Alba’s attacking influence has been less notable than usual. Barcelona are finding it a little more challenging after that early flurry.
19 min: Lucas has shown some nice touches for Depor, but his pass for Juanfran is just misplaced, and Barca can build again.
17 min: Bravo did well just then: he was out quickly to block, and made himself big, as they say. Great chance for Jonathan, though. Depor have settled somewhat.
16 min: Oh, what a chance for Depor! Brilliant counter-attacking play: Lucas’s curved pass from the right cut out both Barca centre-backs, and Jonathan was free in the box: he took a touch, which sent him slightly wide, but he still had the shooting chance – Bravo saved, though! Great opportunity for the visitors. Maybe if Jonathan’s control had been sharper he’d have had more of the goal to aim at.
14 min: Sidnei is called for a foul on Messi. There didn’t seem much in that, but this is a good area for Barca, 30 yards out. Messi goes for goal, but Lux saves, comfortably. It was possibly a bit far too from goal.
12 min: Slight moment of anxiety for Barcelona: Mascherano went back to Bravo, and the goalkeeper slipped, momentarily, but kept his composure, and did not err. Calm from the Chilean.
11 min: This is good stuff from Barca: they’re suffocating Depor with that high press. Messi and Busquets combine to release Jordi Alba, but he crossed to the far post and Suarez went to the near. Now Iniesta tries to seize Messi’s dream through ball, but he just can’t get his studs to it, and Lux can gather.
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9 min: Rakitic’s ball in, but Arribas whacks it clear. It comes back quickly, though, and Messi shimmies past Navarro on the right, but his ball for Suarez is just too strong.
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8 min: Messi is playing deep as the false nine, but Sandro and Suarez are right on the defenders’ shoulders. Eight minutes in, and Depor have been focused almost exclusively on defence. Corner for Barca.
7 min: Now Lucas is late on Jordi Alba. No card. Barcelona are pressing very high, and Pique and Mascherano are on the halfway line.
4 min: Chance for Suarez, but it’s wide! Sandro’s cushioned header from a sweeping long pass was perfectly placed in stride for Suarez, arriving late, but he put it wide! That should have been the opener. Barca have started sharply.
3 min: Busquets gives the ball away! Now we’ve seen it all. Rakitic catches Luisinho, one of two Benfica loanees, and that was late: slightly surprising that wasn’t yellow.
2 min: And immediately Barcelona are into their rhythm: Iniesta finds Suarez in the penalty area with a lovely measured pass that cut out two defenders, but Suarez can’t quite collect, and it’s a goal kick. Now Suarez goes down the other channel, the right, and his cross is good – but Lux does well to hold on.
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And we're off!
1 min: Barca get us going. The hosts in their familiar blaugrana, Depor in all white.
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Definitely a defensive look for Depor: strictly speaking, Juanfran and Luisinho are full-backs, so expect the Depor wide players to double up on Barca’s threat from the flanks.
Messi’s had a new fade! It looks slick.
Teams just shaking hands. The Camp Nou pitch looks, as ever, like a billiard table.
We’re about six minutes away from kickoff. Barcelona haven’t lost to Depor since 2008, although Depor did achieve a 2-2 on the final day of last season to keep them in the top tier. What a game that was: Depor were 2-0 down, and heading into the Segunda Division, but Lucas and Diogo Salomao found something from somewhere, and Depor stayed up by the skin of their teeth. Eibar went down instead. All in Xavi’s final game!
No Neymar, but we do get to see Lionel Messi today. He’s getting back into his rhythm after that knee injury, and scored against Leverkusen in the Champions League on Wednesday. He’s scored 10 in 15 this year to follow his 58 in 57 last term. What a player. The best ever, in my lousy opinion.
An email from Charles Antaki: “Ramírez in the Barcelona line-up - that would be Sandro, I guess. The least Barcelona-like player to play for the team since the more head-shaven style of the 1990s. Presumably he’s on to get in the way of defenders while Messi and Suárez get on with the business of scoring.”
So Barca are going to line up in their characteristic 4-3-3: Sandro just slots in in that left forward position. Expect him to receive plenty of support from Iniesta and Jordi Alba.
Depor are more like 4-4-2, and watch out for Lucas Perez: he’s got 10 goals in La Liga this season, and can be a worry for Pique and Masche. Oriol Riera is injured, however.
Funny: Neymar’s groin injury was reportedly the result of his trying to flick the ball over Suarez’s head in training. You’d never have gotten that under George Graham’s Arsenal, unless there’s something about David Hillier we don’t know about.
A bunch of other games are going on today. Follow them here with Lawrence Ostlere:
So, as anticipated, Neymar, who’s completed more successful dribbles than anyone else in La Liga this year – even Messi! – misses out with injury. He’s not on the bench, either.
Your teams
Barcelona: 13-Bravo, 6-Dani Alves, 3-Piqué, 14-Mascherano, 18-Alba, 4-Rakitic, 5-Busquets, 8-Iniesta, 10-Messi, 09-Suárez, 19-Ramírez. Subs: 1-Ter Stegen, 15-Bartra, 17-Munir, 20-S Roberto, 21-Adriano, 23-Vermaelen, 24-Mathieu.
Deportivo: 1-Lux, 15-Sanabria Ruiz, 14-Arribas, 12 da Silva Junior, 3-Navarro Corbacho, 11-Juanfran, 4-Bergantiños García, 19-Fajr, 16-Correia Pinto, 20-Rodríguez Portillo, 7-Pérez Martínez. Subs: 25-Manu Fernandez, 6-Cani, 8-Medunjanin, 10-Juan Dominguez, 21-Luis Alberto, 23-Lopo, 30-Cardoso.
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Hello and welcome
It’s Barcelona’s final home game of the calendar year, to use that awful phrase beloved of TV sports pundits. They go off and play in the Fifa World Club Cup next week, so Luis Enrique’s team, who have won seven of seven at home this season, will wish sign off in style with a solid home win. Deportivo are the guests, and they’re in decent form in the league, unbeaten in five, but their last win at Camp Nou was in 2003, under Javier Irrureta, the bespectacled coach who led Depor during their most successful period. It’s a tough ask. Can they do it? Find out at 10pm ET, 3pm BST.
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Tim will be here shortly. Meanwhile, here’s Cristiano Ronaldo talking about whether he would ever play for Barca. (It’s not going to happen, is it?)
Ronaldo told the Associated Press on Thursday that he knows it would be “very complicated” to play for these clubs, but it’s something that the Real Madrid star doesn’t rule out either.
He said nothing is certain in soccer, so he will not close doors to any leagues or teams, not even Madrid’s biggest rival.
“It’s a little more difficult, but …,” he said, with a long pause, not dismissing the possibility.
“There are things that you kind of already have an idea, that to play one day forBarcelona would be almost impossible, or to play for another English club other than Manchester, it’s very complicated,” he said. “But that’s not 100% guaranteed. As I said before, there are no certainties in football.”
