THERE might have been some confusion over the crowd figure but there was none with regards to the outcome. The suspicion that Barcelona eased off after an explosive opening spell will provide no comfort for those of a Hibs persuasion. Perhaps the Catalan side were leaving something in the tank for tomorrow's meeting with Dundee United, their traditional rivals in Scotland.
But there was no denying the class on display. The urgency of Barcelona's first-half performance suggested they had been peeved by reports which claimed they were not the draw they once were. The attendance in the 67,000-capacity Murrayfield was give
n as 23,390 in the press box. A few minutes later it had become 22,390 when read out across the Tannoy. It is easy to imagine 1,000 Hibs fans sneaking out in the interim, having remembered another rather urgent appointment. Those who remained had not lost their sense of humour. "Just wait till we get them back to Easter Road for the second leg," was one self-mocking quip. This sentiment had perhaps been encouraged by the match programme, which advertised the game on its front cover as being FC Barcelona v Hibernian FC. So Easter Road fans can console themselves in years to come with the thought that this was, at least, an away fixture. The Hibs record of having beaten Barcelona in their last competitive meeting in Leith, back in 1961, survives.
Here in west Edinburgh, things proved more hostile. Obsessing over the attendance figure soon gave way to relishing the majesty of Barcelona's performance. The Catalan side were three up in just 16 minutes. The feeling that Barcelona might be more up for it than last year, when Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto'o were in the midst of a row and then head coach Frank Rijkaard's future remained in doubt, became ever more pronounced by the minute.
They had, after all, a new head coach to impress here, while last season's barren campaign at the Nou Camp has raised the stakes. Reports from the playing fields of St Andrews University suggest Pep Guardiola has had his stars blowing out of their culos in a bid to have them ready for the new season.
Grant Stott, the local DJ and long-time Hibs fan, took over the microphone duties last night and appeared to suggest Pat Stanton was in the starting XI for Hibs. It was, in actual fact, only a mis-hearing of "Van Zanten". But how Hibs could have done with the legendary skipper as time and time again they were undone by the sublime talents of their opponents. Stott's tongue was firmly in his cheek when he spoke of this being a contest between the "best two attacking sides in Edinburgh". At the end he added: "Thank god it wasn't seven!"
Hearts, although absent, were in a lot of people's minds, with the Hibs fans sorely aware that their counterparts from Gorgie were keeping careful tabs on last night's events. The oneupmanship began with the slow ticket sales and will continue no doubt today. Hearts, after all, lost by only three goals to one last year.
"We knew this was a bad idea" some Hibs fans will likely mutter, having suffered another flash-back involving, in all likelihood, Lionel Messi. Argentina's maestro is known as La Pugla – the Flea – in his homeland. For the purpose of his stay in Scotland, he will now be referred to as El Midgio. He proved that much of a pest.
Having tormented left-back Paul Hanlon he then switched to the other side of the field and harassed Van Zanten instead. It was an act of mercy, surely. Even before he had moved to the other wing Messi looked to have started electing to pass the ball rather than take Hanlon on. It was further proof that Messi exudes class both as a person and athlete. He was clearly sensitive to his opponent's plight. So, too, was Guardiola, and he replaced Messi at half-time. Not that it offered Hibs much respite. Bojan, who some have claimed is even more precocious, came on and had put Barcelona five up three minutes into the second half.
The interval offered an opportunity to survey the great and the good who had been drawn to the occasion. Mick McCarthy was seen noting down comments on his teamsheet, next to the Barcelona players' names. Quite what was the point of this exercise seemed unclear, with McCarthy, after all, manager of Wolves, not Real Madrid. Spotted elsewhere was Kenny Black, the manager of Airdrie, although he was not so intent on wasting his time. He simply relished an all-too rare chance to watch a team ooze quality.
Even the Hibs fans must have enjoyed watching football played a way which they like to think reflects their own club's beliefs.
The full article contains 831 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
