Schalke O4 0 Barcelona 1:BARCELONA TOOK a significant step towards the semi-finals of the Champions League with a hard-fought win over Schalke at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen last night.
Seventeen-year-old Bojan Krkic scored the only goal of the game in the 12th minute, earning Frank Rijkaard's side an important away goal on top of the slender lead they take into the second leg at Camp Nou next Wednesday.
Schalke were outplayed in the first half before coming to life in the second - but they were unable to find a goal, leaving themselves with a mountain to climb.
The Catalans kept control before the break but Schalke looked a different side after that and almost hit back with two clear chances midway through the half, as first Fabian Ernst then Halil Altintop saw shots slip just wide.
Schalke coach Mirko Slomka surprised many with his bold team selection, which included Gerald Asamoah and Altintop alongside Kevin Kuranyi in a three-man attack.
Barcelona had an attacking trio of Thierry Henry, Bojan and Samuel Eto'o - who had been passed fit to play yesterday morning.
Henry had his shot fumbled by Manuel Neuer, but the Frenchman squared the rebound to the unmarked Bojan - who tapped in from two yards.
Eto'o was finding a lot of room on the right wing, and his dangerous low cross almost forced home defender Marcelo Bordon to turn the ball into his own net only for the ball to flash past the post.
Schalke's belief moved up another level early in the second half when they managed to test Victor Valdes for the first time.
Altintop sent the first warning to the Spanish side from the angle of the 18-yard box with a shot which fizzed past the far post, taking a deflection on the way.
After the resulting corner, Schalke regained possession and Christian Pander's powerful shot from 25 yards was too hot for Valdes to handle - but no Royal Blues player had gambled, and Gabriel Milito had plenty of time to clear the loose ball for a throw-in.
Barcelona, bidding for a second Champions League title in three seasons, were unable to regain control of the midfield as Schalke kept up the pressure, with Ernst's shot only inches away from Asamoah after Pander had waltzed past Gianluca Zambrotta in the 70th minute.
Substitute Soren Larsen headed wide from a Heiko Westermann cross before the latter got on the end of a cross himself as the Germans hurled players forward - although he too was unable to direct it goalwards, instead claiming he had been impeded by Abidal.
SCHALKE 04: Neuer, Rafinha, Bordon, Krstajic, Westermann, Asamoah (Larsen 73), Ernst, Kobiashvili, Pander, Kuranyi (Sanchez 60), Altintop (Lovenkrands 88). Subs Not Used: Schober, Abel, Grossmuller, Howedes. Booked: Pander, Larsen, Ernst, Krstajic.
BARCELONA: Valdes, Zambrotta, Puyol, Milito, Abidal, Xavi, Toure Yaya (Marquez 73), Iniesta, Bojan (Sylvinho 85), Eto'o (Giovanni 82), Henry. Subs Not Used: Pinto, Gudjohnsen, Edmilson, Thuram. Booked: Milito, Puyol, Marquez, Giovanni.
Referee: Kyros Vassaras (Greece).
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