The whistles and jeers started immediately after the final whistle at Camp Nou on Saturday, then Barca’s club anthem boomed forth, drowning out any dissent.
The Catalans had just drawn 1-1 with Athletic Bilbao, completing a week when they have picked up just two points from a possible nine.
It had almost been a second defeat in a row, after losing to Leganes on Wednesday, but Munir El Haddadi's late strike salvaged the draw.
There is no crisis yet, but losing at the bottom team and drawing two home matches is causing consternation in Catalonia.
Bilbao had been traditionally awful in Barcelona and had won only one of their six games all season
The Basques had not won away at Barca for 14 years and had conceded 40 goals and scored only six in that time.
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Lionel Messi had been their scourge, yet he was rested for the first time this season, perhaps with a midweek Uefa Champions League game against Spurs in mind.
With five goals in his last five games against the Basques and 16 in his last 16 games in all competitions against them, he was missed, yet Athletic fully deserved their 40th minute lead.
When Oscar de Marcos fired home a cross from his captain Markel Susaeta at the back post, it vindicated their early excellence. And it should have been more.
Inaki Williams and Raul Garcia both went close with efforts in the opening 15 minutes.
Barca's fans remained impassive, largely concerned at how ordinary the Spanish champions had looked without Messi on the field.
Their defence has conceded eight goals in seven games, more goals than 11 other La Liga teams.
Captain Gerard Pique – Messi’s deputy Sergio Busquets was also on the bench - played De Marcos onside for the goal. It was the latest error from the defender.
Manager Ernesto Valverde did not bring Messi on at half time, but, with his side down against his former club, on 54 minutes, the substitute’s board with was raised in the sunshine.
The size of the roar gave an indication of the approval for the decision as Messi replaced Arturo Vidal, one of several close season signings who has so far failed to spark so far for their new club.
“We can’t just rely on Messi to come on and solve things,” said Luis Suarez after the match. “We should have won the game before he came on. That's why we are Barca.”
Even with Messi now on the pitch Barca huffed and puffed but could not find a way through.
Messi was unsurprisingly key to most attacking endeavours. He had a shot blocked and then a free-kick cleared off the line, while Suarez did have the ball in the net but it was disallowed for offside.
Philippe Coutinho hit the bar and then Messi struck the post as the tension grew and grew.
But, finally, with seven minutes to go Barca's patience paid off, with Messi integral to the equaliser. He
Coutinho shot over before Barça got their breakthrough after 83 minutes. Messi, of course, was involved, centring for substitute Munir to divert the ball home.
Two Athletic players punched in frustration on the same turf that Sami Kuffour had done in 1999 when Bayern Munich had lost to Manchester United in the Uefa Champions League final. The roar went up, the stadium came to life far more than it would if Barca were enjoying a routine victory.
There was still time for Messi to hit the post again to sum up a frustrating day for Barca.
It could have been worse, given they were seven minutes from losing, but they are clearly not firing on all cylinders as the last week as a whole has demonstrated.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder MHEV
Power: 360bhp
Torque: 500Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh282,870
On sale: now
THE BIO:
Favourite holiday destination: Thailand. I go every year and I’m obsessed with the fitness camps there.
Favourite book: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It’s an amazing story about barefoot running.
Favourite film: A League of their Own. I used to love watching it in my granny’s house when I was seven.
Personal motto: Believe it and you can achieve it.
Schedule:
Friday, January 12: Six fourball matches
Saturday, January 13: Six foursome (alternate shot) matches
Sunday, January 14: 12 singles
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
The specs: 2019 BMW X4
Price, base / as tested: Dh276,675 / Dh346,800
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 354hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 1,550rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.0L / 100km
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Stormy seas
Weather warnings show that Storm Eunice is soon to make landfall. The videographer and I are scrambling to return to the other side of the Channel before it does. As we race to the port of Calais, I see miles of wire fencing topped with barbed wire all around it, a silent ‘Keep Out’ sign for those who, unlike us, aren’t lucky enough to have the right to move freely and safely across borders.
We set sail on a giant ferry whose length dwarfs the dinghies migrants use by nearly a 100 times. Despite the windy rain lashing at the portholes, we arrive safely in Dover; grateful but acutely aware of the miserable conditions the people we’ve left behind are in and of the privilege of choice.
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
pakistan Test squad
Azhar Ali (capt), Shan Masood, Abid Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Fawad Alam, Haris Sohail, Imran Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Abbas, Yasir Shah, Usman Shinwari
Match info
Athletic Bilbao 0
Real Madrid 1 (Ramos 73' pen)
The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
