Barcelona dropped their third consecutive points away from home with another drawn match, this time against Athletic Bilbao at the San Mames. It was a match that does not favour Barcelona because of the absences of key players due to injury and illnesses but one Guardiola will not accept as an excuse.

The goals came courtesy of Daniel Alves for Barcelona in the 54^th minute with Toquero equalizing for the home side nine minutes later.

As always we compile first reactions from the top 4 Spanish sports newspapers to last night’s match.

Sport.es

‘The lack of punch have condemned Barca’

Catalan sports paper Sport says FC Barcelona did not have a “flying start” to its “big week” of matches. Despite the team leading the scoreboard at one point, having numerous chances and their usual dominance, was unable to finish the game strongly and allowed Athletic to grab the equalizer, relinquishing the league lead to Real Madrid in the process.

Even though missing key players, Barcelona did control the early part of the first half. Athletic meanwhile, did not lose their calm and was defending resolutely but was literally boxed in their own half. It all fizzles out after thirty minutes however after the home side started to play their “dirty game with repeated fouls by Gurpegi, Amorebieta and company. It should be noted that Amorebieta deserved to be expelled for ‘planting’ his studs into Messi’s face in the 20^th minute”, the paper protests.

Sport also puts the blame on Daniel Alves for not “dropping quickly enough to defend” his position that gave Toquero the space he needed to score Bilbao’s goal in the 63^rd minute. (Ed. – on an EMD article; Alves said he felt pain in his leg, when the move was made by Athletic)

“After that Barcelona lost the initiative and their game deteriorated. And to make matters worse Messi requested a change in the 75^th minute, substituted by Bojan, who barely made an impact,” complains the paper.

“Little could have been done to fix a match that Guardiola was never at ease to begin with. Drawing the match is bad news given that Madrid is now the new Liga leader, eight days before el Clasico at the Camp Nou,” Sport concludes.

El Mundo Deportivo.es

‘1-1: Barca forgot how to win in San Mames and lost the lead’

“Barca lost the lead before el Clasico, and Messi will miss the match against Inter,” the other Catalan sports paper starts its report.

“Pep Guardiola and his players will not wither in the face of adversities. In fact they have demonstrated the opposite on many occasions. Having to deal with setbacks due to Zlatan’s injury and players inflicted with the flu virus, the ‘Triplet’ champion is already standing on shaky ground. And to make matters worse, Messi is reported to be injured. In the end, despite playing well early in the match, Barcelona ‘sinned’ for not killing the game off, as has happened in Pamplona (Osasuna 1-1), and paid dearly by bidding farewell to their provisional league lead,” says the paper.

“Applaud to Athletic for keeping their faith and fighting with honour,” exclaims the article.

“Athletic is finally able to stop its nemesis (after three straight losses) and gains a valuable draw, while at a minimum Barcelona blew away two points at the start of a crucial week. Now Inter and Madrid awaits the ‘Tri-Campeón’,” El Mundo Deportivo finally says.

Marca.com

‘… And Caparros will accept the draw’

“Even though Caparros (Athletic’s coach) said during the week that he is not looking for a draw, he is probably one of the happiest persons in the world of football tonight (last night) after stealing two points from Barcelona,” laments the Madrid based paper.

Marca highlights Caparros’s men fighting spirit as a positive aspect of the match saying “they did not capitulate despite Alves’s goal and playing much of the match behind the ball,” while conversely points to Messi’s injury as the low point: “Messi injures his adductor muscle and is now confirmed out of the Inter clash and a major doubt for el Clasico”.

As always the paper lists the three key points that determines the match outcome, namely:

1) Athletic’s physical game. Bilbao imposing a show of physical force throughout the match.

2) Barcelona casualties in attack. Without Ibrahimovic up front, the Blaugrana were without a clear offensive reference.

3) The ‘battle’ in midfield. A duel between Xavi, Keita and Busquets against Javi Martinez, Gurpegui and Yeste.  One side demonstrated their finesse, the other their strength.

AS.com

‘Barca lost the lead at the Cathedral’

“Athletic Bilbao and Barcelona were tied at the San Mames (a.k.a. The Cathedral) in a match where Barcelona was on top in the first half but wasted three clear cut chances on goal,” is how the other Madrid sports paper AS starts its article.

“Influenza A became the unexpected ‘leveller’ between the teams as Barcelona landed in Bilbao without Abidal, Toure and Marquez due to H1N1 virus, in addition to the previously announced Ibrahimovic absence through injury,” is the paper’s take on the reason for the result.

“It was a match that Guardiola already warns will be difficult. The hosts gave ‘all the ball’ to Barcelona and locked themselves in their own half.  In the end, Guardiola showed signs of being content with the draw and retired Xavi for Henry,” the paper says, before concluding with: “Though both teams tried to break the deadlock until the final whistle, both failed. Thus, Barcelona got their third tied league match on the road, while Athletic got their first home draw. And Guardiola’s men lost their status as leader in favour of Real Madrid”.