SkySports.com 23rd April 2013 - Juan, Two, Three! Lucas Destroys Barca
Wolves 3 - 1 Barcelona (Champions League Semi Final Leg 1)
Juan Lucas single handedly grabbed Wolves by the scruff of the neck and dragged them out of a sticky European situation.
After a tightly contested first half in which both sides seemed to be getting a feel for each other, Barca hit Wolves with a suckerpunch on 52 minutes as Javi Garcias lobbed cross bounced wickedly for the unmarked Ronaldinho to slide home. With an away goal conceded and Barca looking tight at the back, Wolves looked down and out.
But cometh the hour, cometh the Juan as Lucas took it upon himself to run the Catalan giants ragged. He set the ball rolling for an amazing comeback on 67 minutes when given too much space on the left, he picked out Dalla Valle with an inch perfect pass and the Finn obliged by slotting under Victor Valdes for the equaliser.
Wolves now had the crowd behind them and were starting to find holes in Barcas 4-2-3-1 formation. With 9 minutes to go it was Lucas again whose sliderule throughball saw Dalla Valle beat the offside trap to race clear and beat Valdes easily. Then 3 minutes later, Lucas' long high ball into the box had the Barca defence in complete panic, and as the ball broke free with Valdes stranded, it was up to Dalla Valle and Walcott to decide who was going to put the ball into the empty net. Dalla Valle gave up his hattrick opportunity unselfishly for Walcott to score.
'This was a great result,' said Gav Williams. 'Although we've still got a tough away leg and they do have that away goal. It wont be easy but credit to my lads tonight, they were fantastic.'
All eyes now will be on The Nou Camp in a weeks time...