Bojan snatches away win for Barca

BARCELONA took a significant step towards the semi-finals of the Champions League with a hard-fought win over Schalke in Gelsenkirchen.

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.

Schalke were outplayed in the first half before coming to life in the second, but they were unable to find a goal, leaving them a mountain to climb at the Nou Camp next week.

Schalke coach Mirko Slomka surprised many with his bold team selection which included Gerald Asamoah and Halil Altintop alongside Kevin Kuranyi in a three-man attack.

Barcelona responded with a trident of their own, composed of Thierry Henry, Bojan and Samuel Eto’o.

It was the Barca threesome which sparked into life first.

Henry’s shot was fumbled by Manuel Neuer, but the Frenchman squared the rebound to the unmarked Bojan, who tapped in from two yards.

It was the perfect conclusion to a move which stemmed from the industrious Andres Iniesta who, along with Xavi, was pulling the strings in the Barca midfield and had already carved out a good chance for himself in the seventh minute when Neuer made a reaction save.

Eto’o was finding room on the right wing and his dangerous low cross almost forced home defender Marcelo Bordon to turn the ball into his own net.

Schalke began to gain belief early in the second half and they managed to test Victor Valdes for the first time.

Altintop sent the first warning 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.

Milito had a more complicated clearance to make to deny Kuranyi a free header from Pander’s cross before the Schalke number nine was withdrawn on the hour mark for Vicente Sanchez.

Schalke kept up the pressure on the Catalans and keeper Victor Valdes was forced to tip Bordon’s stoppage-time header over the bar as Barca held on to move a step closer to a last-four clash against either Roma or Manchester United.