Ibrahimovic rescues Barça as stubborn Stuttgart fall short

ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC’S second-half equaliser earned Champions League holders Barcelona a hard- fought draw from the first leg of their last-16 tie against Stuttgart last night.

Cacau, fresh from his four-goal haul against Cologne at the weekend, gave Stuttgart a deserved half-time lead but Ibrahimovic struck just after the interval to put Barça in the box seat heading to the Nou Camp.

Barça were boosted by the return to action of Xavi and Ibrahimovic, who both missed Saturday’s 4-0 win over Racing Santander through injury, but neither of them had much chance to shine in the first half.

The home side, who have improved immensely under Christian Gross and had won six of their previous seven games, were determined to take the game to Barça and were rewarded when Cacau broke the deadlock in the 25th minute with a powerful header.

Timo Gebhart’s cross from near the touchline was inch-perfect, just clearing Carles Puyol at the far post and allowing Cacau head past the helpless Victor Valdes.

Cacau had a chance to make it 2-0 in the 32nd minute after picking up Pavel Pogrebniak’s knock down near the halfway line and sprinting towards the Barça box, but this time Valdes was equal to the effort.

Stuttgart were refusing to let the reigning champions settle and created another opportunity in the 35th minute following good work by on-loan Barça player Alexander Hleb.

Christian Trasch wasted the chance though, slicing his shot well wide from the edge of the area.

Barça’s much-vaunted attack were getting little change out of the Stuttgart defence, but from nowhere they almost grabbed an equaliser five minutes before the break. Lionel Messi, who had been his side’s main threat, fired in a shot from 25 yards that looked set to creep in at the far post after only being half stopped by Stuttgart goalkeeper Jens Lehmann. However, the ball struck the post and rebounded back into the veteran’s arms.

A minute later Stuttgart created another opening when Pogrebniak burst past Gerard Pique and Valdes was again called upon to save his side.

The Catalan giants looked much more comfortable in the second half and it took Pep Guardiola’s side just seven minutes to get back on level terms thanks to Ibrahimovic.

Pique used his 6ft 3in frame to good effect to nod a high ball down to Ibrahimovic, and although Lehmann blocked his first effort, the Swede slotted home at the second attempt.

Ibrahimovic looked certain to put Barça ahead in the 67th minute after Lehmann had failed to collect a corner, but the striker’s goal-bound shot struck Cristian Molinaro on the line and rebounded over the bar.

Barça were enjoying much more quality possession but Stuttgart were still pushing forward whenever they could and Valdes did well to smother Ciprian Marica’s shot at point-blank range. Barça were also keen to force a winner, but neither side could find a winner in the closing stages.

VFB STUTTGART: Lehmann, Celozzi, Tasci, Delpierre, Molinaro, Gebhart (Rudy 84), Trasch (Kuzmanovic 58), Khedira, Hleb, Cacau, Pogrebniak (Marica 64).

Barcelona: Valdes, Puyol, Marquez (Milito 58), Pique, Maxwell, Busquets, Toure Yaya (Henry 53), Xavi, Messi, Ibrahimovic, Iniesta.

Referee: Bjorn Kuipers (Holland).