2 mins: Racing go offside 3 mins: Pedro goes down in the box, not going to ever be a penalty. Just some crunching tackles. 4 mins: Cuenca has gotten a few touches on the ball, but he's just feeling out the defense. Barcelona begin pinging the ball around. For the second time in the match Racing try playing a long ball down the left hand side of the field. Can't do any more minute by minutes....don't know how they do it.
Pedro cuts in to the top of the box and "bamboozles" (according to Ray Hudson) the defender before just curling it wide by inches. Very nice shot.
Cuenca with a very dangerous ball into the Racing box, keeper spills it, but no one there to rush in like they are Munian against Man U. Cuenca getting a lot of touches. Iniesta already commencing his dribbling illusions. Seems like we're attacking down the right more.
Francis with an outrageous bad tackle sliding in to Cesc. On replay is looks worse than in real time, but he left his feet and that should have been a clear red card dismissal. Can't believe he only got a yellow. Who lunges in like that?
Well there's the first penalty we've been denied....defender all over Busquets in the box. We're definitely buzzing around now. Cuenca has switched to the left.
Amazing shot attempt by Iniesta, his attempt hitting the bar. I can't really do it justice by trying to describe it. Babacar with a vicious tackle on Busquets earning a yellow card. Disgusting tackle on the ankle. Second red card offense, not called. Folks, for those scoring at home that's one swallowed penalty and two yellows that should have been reds. Cesc stopped from point blank range.
Hudson: 'Xavi dancing over the combine harvester that has come to chop him down' to set up Cesc to pass to Messi for GOAL
GOAL 29 mins (Barcelona 1, Santander 0): Haha, guess it isn't one of those games any more. Xavi brave with the chip over to Cesc, who takes two steps with the ball in the box and slides it across to Messi who slides and converts. 31 mins: Iniesta finds Pedro with space on the right but the struggling youngster hits the side netting.
More chances, so far the standout performers are Cesc, Iniesta and Xavi. We're totally dominating the middle.
Pedro with a cross that almost results in an OG by Alvaro. That was close, like a mach 3 razor. Edit: There's more bamboozling of defenders, gotta love Ray Hudson.
HALFTIME: Barcelona 1, Racing 0. Peep, peep. Tourists we can finally depart now that we've finally seen Valdes take a touch of the ball, that means we've seen everything. I reckon that was his first touch in 30 minutes. Barcelona is swarming the Racing box with chance after chance but a really tenacious effort blocking shots by the defenders and of course Fernandez (the keeper) has kept this match closer than it should be. I think the pick of the save is the one from close range by Cesc.