Deportivo La Coruna And Barcelona Share Entertaining Draw

Deportivo La Coruna earned a 1-1 draw against Barcelona, thus ending the season in seventh place.

With Barcelona clearly still nursing a Champions League hangover, Depor looked to be on their way to an easy win after a Bodipo goal, but Samuel Eto'o scored a late equaliser to salvage a point.

Pep Guardiola gave more of his first team players a start than anyone expected, with the likes of Gerard Pique, Yaya Toure and Samuel Eto'o all winning a place.

Deportivo played their strongest possible eleven, and they started positively, winning a few corners in the opening minutes. On six minutes, Juan Rodriguez was left wide open in the box, but he could only head Guardado's cross over the bar.

The Mexican was in the thick of the action, and he almost scored seconds later, when a sublime Bodipo backheel released him through, only for him to blast over the bar. Not long after, he went on a similar run, but this time Pinto was equal to the task.

Meanwhile, at the other end, Eto'o was desperate to keep his faint scoring title hopes alive, and was denied by a smart save from Aranzubia down to his right. It was end to end stuff, with Depor still clinging on to some hope of a Europe League spot, and Barca keen to end a historic season in style.

On 20 minutes, Bodipo came close again, when a flowing move down the right ended with a cross from Manuel Pablo, but the striker could only poke it just wide of the far post. Eto'o suffered a similar fate, as his rasping left foot drive from just outside the box flew marginally wide.

This match clearly had goals in it, and it was Depor who opened the scoring after 31 minutes. Receiving the ball on the left, the impressive Guardado floated a vicious cross in, which Bodipo duly headed past a helpless Pinto.

Barca seemed more intent on finding a goal for Eto'o than anyone else, although Sylvinho did come close with a trademark pile-driver. Depor still looked the most likely to score though, and they came close again when Sergio smashed the ball against the crossbar, after being put through brilliantly by Juan Valeron.

Thus Depor went into the break with a deserved lead, as Barca showed all the signs of a team that had been partying hard in recent times.

The second half started much as the first had finished, with Depor on the attack. It took a fantastic save from Pinto to deny Valeron from point blank range, as the keeper rose to tip over a shot that was destined for the back of the net.

Bodipo then had a goal ruled out for offside after he had chipped Pinto, but replays showed that the decision was marginal at best. Meanwhile, Eto'o was still desperate for goals, but he wasted a great chance from point blank range after being set up by Bojan, as he failed to control the ball.

On the hour mark, Miguel Angel Lotina made his first change, bringing Angel Lafita on for Pablo Alvarez. The substitute almost had an immediate impact, but he shot straight at Pinto when Bodipo was wide open on the right, with a completely open goal at his mercy.

Barca then made their first change, cantera product Albert Botia replacing Gerard Pique, who has had a landmark season. Eto'o was coming ever closer to a goal, but this time he just failed to reach Xavi's pinpoint cross.

That was Xavi's last contribution to the match, as he finished off an excellent season, coming off for Abraham. Sylvinho then set Eto'o up with a brilliant chance, but the striker could not get his head on a cross that sought him at the near post.

With ten minutes left, Deportivo legend Juan Valeron left the pitch to a standing ovation, to be replaced by Joan Verdu, a former Barca youth team product. Andres Guardado then had a chance to seal the game, but Pinto pulled off another smart save.

It looked as though Depor were all set to claim the win, but then, with minutes remaining, Bojan picked out Eto'o in the box, and the forward smashed the ball past Aranzubia. It is not enough for him to claim the Pichichi, but it still capped off an impressive season for the Cameroonian striker.

Thus Barca end their historic season with a draw, while Deportivo have also exceeded all expectations, finishing in seventh place.

Arjun Miglani, Goal.com