MX23RW : Tuesday, March 19 09:55:40| >> :120:28249:28249:
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Attendance: 5,145
Eibar logo
La Liga
May 19, 2019 at 3.15pm UK
 
Barcelona logo

2-2

Cucurella (20'), De Blasis (45')
FT(HT: 2-2)
Messi (31', 32')

Live Commentary: Eibar 2-2 Barcelona - as it happened

Relive Sports Mole's live commentary of the La Liga clash between Eibar and Barcelona, which finished 2-2.
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Champions Barcelona rounded off their 2018-19 La Liga campaign with a 2-2 draw at the home of Eibar on Sunday afternoon.

Barca have once again proved to be the best that Spain have to offer, with a total of 87 points seeing them finish the season 11 points clear of their nearest challengers Atletico Madrid.

Read how it all involved in Sports Mole's minute-by-minute live text coverage below.


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Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's live commentary of the La Liga clash between Eibar and Barcelona from the Basque Country. Barca have once again proved to be the best team that Spain have to offer, with a total of 86 points leaving them 10 points clear of second-placed Atletico Madrid. Eibar, meanwhile, sit 11th in the table and will end the campaign in that position regardless of what happens at the Ipurua this afternoon. Stay tuned for the action!

TEAMS!

EIBAR: Dmitrovic; Cote, Ramis, Oliveira, De Blasis; Cucurella, Jordan, Escalante, Orellana; Charles, Enrich

BARCA: Cillessen; Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Alba; Vidal, Busquets, Rakitic; Roberto, Messi, Malcom


Eibar are without the services of Pedro Bigas and Ruben Pena through muscular and knee injuries respectively, while fellow defender Anaitz Arbilla is also out with a knee problem. Forward Marc Cardona also misses out due to a hamstring injury, but leading scorer Charles returns to the XI alongside Sergi Enrich in what is an attacking 4-4-2 formation for the home side.

As for Barca, Ousmane Dembele, Arthur, Philippe Coutinho, Rafinha, Luis Suarez and Marc-Andre ter Stegen are all injured, meaning that it is a much-changed XI. Sergi Roberto will seemingly start in the final third alongside Malcom and Lionel Messi, while Jasper Cillessen is given a rare chance to impress between the sticks on what could be his final appearance for the club.

Here we go then - the final match of the 2018-19 La Liga campaign sees Barcelona face Eibar. There is nothing much on this contest apart from pride so it should be an open game!

KICKOFF:  Eibar kick things off in front of their own supporters...

... it must be said that there is a brilliant atmosphere inside the stadium this afternoon, and the pitch is looking brilliant. No excuses for this to be a poor game of football.

Barca have won all nine of the La Liga meetings between the two teams, including a 3-0 victory in the reverse match at Camp Nou back in January. The Catalan giants also ran out 2-0 winners in the corresponding game last term, while they have won 4-0 twice at the home of Eibar over the last few seasons. The omens are not exactly terrific for the home side here.

CHANCE!  Big chance for Barca to take the lead as a mistake at the back sees Roberto break into the Eibar box - the Brazilian feeds Messi, but he is crowded out at the vital moment.

SAVE!  Smart save from Cillessen to keep out a low strike from Charles!

Smart save from Dmitrovic to keep out a strike from Malcom, but the flag was up.

With a stadium that holds little over 7,000 spectators, it is still difficult to believe that Eibar can compete at this level of football. Until Huesca qualified for the top flight last term, the Basque outfit were widely regarded as the smallest club to have played in La Liga.

SHOT!  Busquets hits one from distance after Dmitrovic leaves his goal to clear, but the midfielder's effort was always moving wide of the post. Not the best from the goalkeeper there.

SHOT!  Jordan sends a low shot wide of the Barca post as Eibar continue to cause problems in the final third. It has been a very, very open first 11 minutes to this football match.

This is actually Eibar's fifth straight campaign in the top flight of Spanish football; they finished 18th, 14th and 10th in their first three seasons at this level, before posting ninth last term. In all honesty, the club should find it very difficult to stay in the league, but that has not been the case once again. It would be some way to finish the season if they won this afternoon.

Eibar's home form this season has been pretty good, winning nine of their 18 matches and suffering just four defeats. Only Real Valladolid and Atletico have beaten the Basque side on home soil in 2019, and they have caused Barca a lot of problems in the early stages here.

SAVE!  Comfortable for Cillessen to keep out an attempt from Enrich, who had met a low cross from Cucurella, who is on loan from Barca but allowed to play in this match.

Alba flashes a low cross along the Eibar box but there are no takers. Messi had dropped to the edge of the box for the cutback but it did not arrive. Still goalless here.

SAVE!  Decent save from Cillessen to keep out a strike from Charles.

Charles is Eibar's leading scorer this season with 14 in Spain's top flight, while Sergi Enrich has contributed seven. They are not a side that scores bundles of goals, but have only conceded 48 times, which is just two more than third-placed Real Madrid.

GOAL!  EIBAR 1-0 BARCELONA (CUCURELLA)

Breakthrough! Eibar take the lead in the 20th minute as Cucurella - on loan from Barca - finds the bottom corner with a powerful strike. Cillessen might have done better, but Eibar have drawn first blood in the final La Liga match of the 2018-19 campaign.

Barca will have the chance to wrap up a domestic double when they take on Valencia in the final of the Copa del Rey on May 25. Landing two major trophies would equal another strong season, but there is no question that the club will still be thinking about their Champions League exit.

SAVE!  Smart save from Cillessen to keep out a strike from Charles.

Barca entered the second leg of their Champions League semi-final with Liverpool holding a 3-0 advantage from the first leg at Camp Nou. In theory, it should have been a comfortable progression through to the final, but Liverpool recorded an incredible 4-0 win at Anfield to dump Barca out of the competition. There is no question it will still be playing on their minds.

Barca have a free kick in a decent position as Messi is felled by Ramis...

SHOT!  ... Messi's effort was always moving wide of the post.

Not an awful lot to report in terms of attacking football in the last couple of minutes, but the threat from Barca is always there due to Messi, who does look in the mood this afternoon.

GOAL!  EIBAR 1-1 BARCELONA (MESSI)

All square! Barca level the scores in the 31st minute of this match as Vidal plays a super pass into Messi and the Argentine slides the ball into the bottom corner of the net!

GOAL!  EIBAR 1-2 BARCELONA (MESSI)

Wow! Two goals in less than one minute! Messi has his second as the Argentine races onto a pass from Rakitic before chipping the ball over the goalkeeper for 2-1!

YELLOW CARD!  Ramis (Eibar) is booked for dissent. He wanted offside, but Messi was in his own half. Double trouble for Eibar here as they quickly fall behind after deservedly taking the lead.

Eibar manage to work a move down the left and eventually Enrich delivers, but Pique is on hand to make the clearance. Little under 10 minutes of the first period to play here.

Just a reminder that Barca will face Valencia in the Copa del Rey final next weekend. Can the Catalan giants produce another domestic double? Valverde's side will be big favourites.

Possession football from Barca at the moment as they continue to move the ball in the final third. Semedo is back on the field after a period of treatment following a head clash.

YELLOW CARD!  Semedo (Barcelona) is booked for a foul on Orellana.

YELLOW CARD!  De Blasis (Eibar) is booked for a foul on Rakitic.

GOAL!  EIBAR 2-2 BARCELONA (DE BLASIS)

All square then! Eibar level the scores in the final stages of the first period as De Blasis, who has just been booked for a rash challenge on Rakitic, finds the back of the net with a stunner from distance! The number 16 has his second league goal of the campaign.

HALF TIME:  EIBAR 2-2 BARCELONA

Wow - what a half! The referee brings the first period to a close with the two teams level at 2-2. Messi had scored a double to send Barca ahead after Cucurella made the breakthrough in the 20th minute, but De Blasis's stunner from distance leaves the two teams on terms.

STATISTICS! Barca shaded the first-half possession with 59%, while they managed five attempts, two of which were on target. Eibar, meanwhile, hit the target with six of their nine attempts during a very impressive first-half performance. Two bookings to report for Eibar with Ramis and De Blasis carded, while Semedo has picked up a yellow for the champions here.

BENCH WATCH! An attacking Eibar bench includes the likes of Cardona, Kike and Pedro Leon. Barca boss Valverde, meanwhile, has options in the shape of Alena, Ruiz and Puig, but the likes of Coutinho, Dembele, Suarez, Arthur and Boateng are all out injured.

KICKOFF:  Barca resume the action here...

... BARCELONA SUB! Change for Barca at the break as Wague replaces Semedo, who picked up an injury late in the first period. Big chance for the full-back here.

You have to think that there will be more goals in the second period because neither side is too interested in defending this afternoon. More of the same in the Basque Country please.

Half-chance for Eibar early in the second period, but Escalante heads a corner over the Barca crossbar. Nothing much from the visitors since the match restarted here.

Pass, pass, pass from Barca at the moment as they look to work some space in the final third. Malcom has again been disappointing for the champions it must be said.

Wague finds Messi inside the Eibar box and the Argentine looks to turn away from Ramis, but the home side have numbers back and manage to clear their lines once again.

SAVE!  Super save from Cillessen to keep out a low volley from Enrich!

SAVE!  Comfortable save for Cillessen this time to keep out a header from Charles.

You do wonder how long Valverde will leave it before looking for another option in the final third. Malcom has just been caught offside once again as he continues to struggle.

We are entering the stage of the match where both managers will think about changes. It will be interesting to see whether Messi completes the game ahead of the Copa del Rey final.

Messi is very, very deep at the moment as he attempts to get into the match. In truth, there is not an awful lot happening in the Barca attack apart from Messi at the moment.

Jordan breaks into the Barca box before looking to pick out a teammate, but Alba does well to make the clearance and the away side can now break down the field.

SAVE!  Smart save from Dmitrovic to keep out a low strike from Pique.

CHANCE!  Big chance for Barca as Malcom finds loads of space inside the box before sending a low cross towards Pique but the defender does not read it and Eibar have a goal kick.

BARCELONA SUB! Alena replaces Busquets for the away side.

EIBAR SUB! Kike replaces Enrich in the home side's first change.

SHOT!  Orellana's shot from distance fails to test Cillessen.

Little over 20 minutes minutes of the second half remaining and Eibar are currently keeping the ball. Is there going to be a grandstand finish to the final game of the La Liga season?

Valverde has one change left and it will be interesting to see whether he decides to use teenage forward Ruiz, who made his debut off the bench against Getafe last weekend.

BARCELONA SUB! Carles Perez for Malcom is the away side's third change. It is a debut for the 21-year-old Barca B forward - what a moment for him.

Little over 15 minutes of the 2018-19 La Liga campaign remaining. You do get the feeling that there is a winner in this, but a draw is the fair result on balance.

Cucurella delivers a low cross into the Barca box, but Cillessen is on hand to collect. Eibar are preparing to make their second change of the match as Ramis is struggling here.

EIBAR SUB! Ramis is replaced by Sergio Alvarez for the home side.

Still 2-2 as we approach the final 10 minutes of this match. Rakitic is fortunate to escape a yellow card for a late challenge on Orellana, who has been very bright in this match.

YELLOW CARD!  Cote (Eibar) is booked for a foul on Roberto.

CHANCE!  Huge chance for Cucurella to score a second, but the left-sided player fires the ball over the crossbar from close range. What a huge opportunity for the home side!

YELLOW CARD!  Alba (Barcelona) is booked following an argument with Escalante.

YELLOW CARD!  Escalante (Eibar) is also booked following the altercation with Alba.

EIBAR SUB! Eibar make their final change as Charles is replaced by Cardona.

Little over three minutes of normal time remaining - is there going to be a late winner? It would be tough on Eibar if Barca were to find a third goal in the latter stages here.

Not an awful lot to report at the moment as Eibar enjoy possession inside their own half following a bit of pressure from Barca. We are running out of time for a late winner here.

Perez strikes over the crossbar from inside the Eibar box.

We are into the second of two minutes of added time. Nothing much to report in the Basque Country and it does appear that the points are going to be shared here.

FULL TIME:  EIBAR 2-2 BARCELONA

So there we have it. The referee brings the second period - and indeed the 2018-19 La Liga campaign - to a close with the two teams level at 2-2. Messi did his best to secure all three points for the champions, but Eibar were well worth a share of the spoils. That's it then! Thanks for joining Sports Mole for our live coverage once again. See you next time!

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Real Madrid29226164204472
2Barcelona29197360342664
3GironaGirona29195559342562
4Athletic Bilbao29168550262456
5Atletico MadridAtletico29174854342055
6Real Sociedad291210742311146
7Real BetisBetis29101273433142
8Valencia28117103232040
9Villarreal29108114751-438
10Getafe2991193742-538
11Las PalmasLas Palmas29107122932-337
12Osasuna29106133343-1036
13AlavesAlaves2988132635-932
14Mallorca29612112535-1030
15Rayo Vallecano29611122538-1329
16Sevilla29610133644-828
17Celta Vigo2969143244-1227
18CadizCadiz29313132040-2022
19Granada2828183058-2814
20Almeria29110182857-2913

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