Barcelona 2 - Real Madrid 0

Barcelona: Dutruel; Puyol, Abelardo, Reiziger; Xavi, Cocu; Simao, Luis Enrique (Alfonso 73'), Sergi; Rivaldo (Gerard 86'), Dani (Frank De Boer 67'). 3-2-3-2.
Real Madrid: Casillas; Geremi, Karanka, Hierro, Roberto Carlos; Celades, Makelele (Morientes 73'); Figo, Guti (Savio 57'), Munitis; Raúl. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Barcelona: Reiziger, Dani for Petit, Alfonso / Madrid: Geremi, Celades for Michel Salgado, Flavio Conceiçao.

Goals:
1-0. 27. Luis Enrique. Headed on Xavi s free kick which deflected off Karanka.
2-0. 79. Simao. Followed up after Alfonso headed ball against bar.

The big night finally arrived for Luis Figo to return to Barcelona after his controversial transfer to Real Madrid in the summer. For some weeks now the local press has been building this one up, with Barcelona newspapers giving out whistles and holding competitions for the most original posters on the night. Figo's first appearance on the pitch for a warm up session was already greeted with a barrage of noise, and when the teams came on officially before the match bank notes (false of course) rained down on the pitch like ticker-tape.

Barça's manager Serra Ferrer surprised everyone leaving out Alfonso and bringing in Dani to join Rivaldo up front, and Reiziger replaced Petit, who was carried off in a neck brace midweek after clashing heads with team-mate Cocu in the match against AC Milan. Just for the record, his injury was not as bad as first thought and the French midfielder should be playing again fairly soon. Vicente Del Bosque decided to leave Iván Helguera on the bench, bringing back Celades, another ex Barcelona player who was making his first return to his old club after his summer signing from Celta Vigo. Casillas was fit to play in goal after missing the midweek match against Bayer Leverkusen, but Michel Salgado had still not recovered from his injury and the versatile Geremi covered for him at right back.

Passions were high as the match kicked off, and Rivaldo, who had scored five times in the last two matches, forced a point blank save out of Casillas before the game was a minute old. Every time Figo touched the ball there was a deafening noise, and he did not even approach the touchlines as a range of objects flew out of the crowd every time he tried to go near. Despite this he appeared to keep calm, and his first real intervention came on the quarter hour mark, his through ball leaving Munitis free to cross for Raúl to volley into the path of Dutruel. Figo's replacement at Barcelona Simao was also out to prove himself, and he fired a shot against the foot of the post with Casillas beaten. Then came the first goal, with Luis Enrique heading on Xavi's free kick from the left. Karanka got a slight touch but could only deflect it past Casillas, who got a hand to it, and Dani almost stopped it going in as he rushed to make sure. The goal was however credited to Luis Enrique, one of three players, along with Dani and Alfonso, who had made the reverse journey to Figo and Celades in earlier years.

Referee Pérez Burrull was having a busy night, and he showed four yellow cards in the first half, particularly for a foul by Hierro on Rivaldo and another by Puyol on Figo. Early in the second half Casillas made a great one-handed save from Rivaldo's header, and as the rain started to fall heavily, the keeper stopped another shot from the Brazilian striker low down. Both teams made substitutions, with attackers Savio and Morientes coming on for Madrid for Guti and Makelele as they came looking for the equalizer, and Serra Ferrer put on an extra defender, Frank De Boer for a striker Dani, and then Alfonso for a tired Luis Enrique. The biggest cheer of the night came when Figo picked up a yellow card for a foul on Puyol, and a few minutes later Cocu hit the underside of the crossbar with a shot from outside of the area. Minutes later Figo broke clear, and Abelardo deflected his shot out of play. The game switched to the other end, and Rivaldo tried his luck from outside of the area. Casillas could only palm the ball up into the air, and Alfonso headed against the post, the ball dropping to Simao who tucked it into the net.

Madrid tried again, but their players were wet and tired, and Hierro protested strongly to the referee as objects continued to rain down on the pitch every time a Madrid player approached the edge of the field of play. Although one understands that the Barcelona fans were angry, there is no excuse for that kind of behaviour, and their actions could earn their club a heavy fine or even a one-game closure. In the last few minutes Alfonso could have added to the lead, but once again Casillas was superb. Gerard, now recovered from injury, came on for Rivaldo near the end, and as the final whistle blew the Barcelona players went up to Figo one by one and embraced him. The trial was over, and hopefully now everyone will get on with playing football. The local press must be held partly responsible for the hostile atmosphere on the night, and questions may well be asked next week. Meanwhile Barcelona jump above Madrid into second place, a point behind new leaders Valencia, with Celta and Rayo Vallecano still to play. Barcelona now have an important Champions League tie at Leeds on Tuesday night, with their continuity in the competition at risk, whereas Madrid can relax and rest players for their game against Sporting Lisbon knowing they are already through. Life goes on.