1 vs 1
Barcelona 1-1 Real Madrid (3-1 agg.): Pedro goal sees Catalans through to Champions League final as fourth Clasico ends in draw
Guardiola's side return to the final of the Champions League after his side secure a 3-1 aggregate win earning their place on the Wembley turf.
By Daniel Quinton-Navarro
Marcelo, Valdés, Puyol, Piqué, Barcelona, Real Madrid
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The Catalan side took the lead in the second half through Pedro’s strike only for Marcelo to equalise in the 64th minute.
The visitors were unable to complete their herculean task as Barca advanced to another Champions League final.
Real Madrid came storming out of the gates as they searched for an early goal with Cristiano Ronaldo looking especially dangerous.
Barcelona began to find their rhythm as the game grew in stature, and when Angel di Maria was caught in possession near his own penalty area Andres Iniesta unleashed a shot, but the Spanish international dragged his effort wide.
Lionel Messi then found the ball at his feet with space around him for the first time and proceeded to surge forward only for Ricardo Carvalho to take him down earning the Portuguese man the first yellow card of the game.
The Blaugrana were exerting their supremacy on the match as the Madrid players began to chase shadows and the hosts should have taken the lead when Sergio Busquets evaded his marker only to direct his header from six yards straight at a grateful Iker Casillas.
Barca were in the ascendancy and should have opened the scoring in a frantic 10 minute spell where they had Real Madrid reeling.
Lionel Messi came inside and looked to bend an effort out of Casillas’ reach but the Spanish No. 1 was equal to it, and despite an initial fumble he held on to the ball on the second attempt.
The Argentine then brought down Dani Alves’ cross and side-stepped Xabi Alonso and Raul Albiol before dragging his effort wide of the far post.
Casillas was forced into another fine save moments later when the irresistible Messi played in David Villa who curled an effort that looked heading for the corner until the Spanish stopper threw out his left hand to keep Real Madrid in the tie.
Barcelona showed their prowess with smart passing inside Real Madrid’s penalty area and their dominance was only brought to an end when Messi’s shot was palmed away by a sprawling Casillas.
Messi Magic | Argentine leads Barca to another Champions League finalJavier Mascherano had gone to ground clutching his ankle following a touch from Ronaldo which proved enough to earn an important free-kick for his side.
And soon after the visitors found themselves a goal down, and seemingly out of the competition. Iniesta took a moment to compose himself before threading a sublime pass through to Pedro who finished with aplomb to give Barcelona the lead in the 54th minute.
Real Madrid responded by introducing Mesut Ozil and Emmanuel Adebayor to the fray as they went in search of the three goals required in order to keep their European dreams alive.
Los Blancos found themselves level soon after Di Maria took the ball past Mascherano, and crashed an effort against the upright before laying the rebound off to Marcelo, whose first time finish gave the Whites a lifeline.
Despite the capital club's best efforts they couldn’t find a second goal, which would have set up a grandstand finish.
There was a late appearance for Eric Abidal, who was greeted with rapturous applause from everyone in the stadium after returning from an operation to remove a cancerous tumour.
Barcelona will wait to see who they will face at Wembley with Manchester United set to face Schalke in the second-leg tomorrow night, with the English side holding a 2-0 advantage ahead of the clash at Old Trafford.
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