First Division - Day 33

Espanyol 0 - Barcelona 0

Espanyol: Kameni; Chica, Nico Pareja, Víctor Ruíz, Didac; Raúl Baena, Forlín; Callejón (Sahar 84'), Verdú (Iván Alonso 77'), Luis García; Osvaldo. 4-2-3-1.
Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Dani Alvés, Piqué, Milito (Keita 57'), Puyol; Busquets, Touré Yaya (Henry 57'); Pedro (Ibrahimovic 81'), Xavi, Maxwell; Messi. 4-2-3-1.

Goals: None.

Yellow cards: Osvaldo 05', Luis García 21', Dani Alves 24', 61', Milito 31', Baena 62', Keita 81' / red cards: Dani Alves 61'.

The race for the league title is back on again after leaders Barcelona were held to a 0-0 draw by city neighbours Espanyol. Pep Guardiola's side were unable to break down a well organized defence, and they had to play the last half an hour with ten men after Dani Alves was sent off for a second bookable offence. The closest they came to scoring was when Pedro chipped a cross on top of the bar, and when Maxwell tested Kameni with a long shot before the break. Baena headed just wide though, and Osvaldo almost put the locals ahead on the stroke of half time with a shot which Víctor Valdés pushed on to the post. Messi did try his luck a couple of times after the restart, and Osvaldo responded with a header over the top, but in the end both sides had to settle for a point.