Pablo Amo 2-0
Barcelona had left Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto'o and Xavi at home, and Victor Valdes, Andres Iniesta, Deco, Gabriel Milito and Eric Abidal were perched on the bench with the focus very clearly on Tuesday's game.
The only three players who will start at Old Trafford and were picked were Carles Puyol, Gianluca Zambrotta and Yaya Toure, and the effect of such major changes was there to be seen.
Barcelona managed to keep the ball in the first half, but failed to do much with it. Midfielders Rafa Marquez, Toure and Eidur Gudjohnsen guaranteed that possession was not conceded for long spells, but failed to do much else, while Thierry Henry, Bojan Krkic and Giovani dos Santos showed flashes of interest but nothing truly penetrative.
Barcelona enjoyed almost 70% possession, but got only three shots on target, none of them really worth noting. As such, it was no surprise that the game went into the break goalless. If anything, Depor should have taken the lead but to be denied by the crossbar with Pinto well beaten.
One wondered whether there would be any attacking changes, and we did see Deco come on for the second half. However, the pace was still lacking. Depor sensed that, and began to grow into the game, and duly went ahead in the 53rd minute.
Veteran Manuel Pablo made the initial run up the right hand side before playing the ball to Laftia, who got around Puyol and cut it back for Juan Rodriguez to poke into the back of the net amid a crowd of players.
Barcelona tried to lift the tempo, but simply lacked the desire, never looking like scoring. That was not the case for Depor, though, who made the most of a moment of indecision from Rafa Marquez to grab their second. Pablo Amo was the man who broke clear of the Mexican at the far post to comfortably nod in a free-kick, thereby sealing Barcelona's fate.
Former Barcelona youngster Cristian came on, and almost made it 3-0, only for a back-pedaling Sylvinho to clear the ball off the line in the nick of time. That is as it stood, with Depor marching towards the Uefa Cup, and Barca stranded in third.
Rijkaard will turn his attentions towards Manchester United, who were also beaten earlier this afternoon.
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