Ibrahimovic: Draw a good result

Ibrahimovic: Draw a good result

Published Feb. 24, 2010 11:04 a.m. ET

Zlatan Ibrahimovic described the 1-1 draw with Stuttgart as a "good result" after seeing Barcelona fight back well from a first-half onslaught.

Stuttgart took the match to Barca early on and deservedly led 1-0 at half-time thanks to Cacau's 25th-minute header, the German international's fifth goal in two games since returning from a month-long injury lay-off.

The home side might well have boasted a bigger advantage at the break as well after creating a number of other chances during an impressive first period.

Barca hit the post through Lionel Messi just before the interval but otherwise the Catalan giants found it difficult to create much going forward.

However, the visitors looked a lot more assured after the break and were back on terms almost immediately thanks to Ibrahimovic, whose 52nd-minute equaliser means Barca hold the upper hand for the second leg at the Nou Camp.

Ibrahimovic said: "The team played badly in the first half. In the second half we were better. We controlled it, we created chances and, most importantly, we've scored a goal. For me 1-1 is a good result."

Barca's disappointing first-half display followed on from some below-par league performances against Atletico Madrid and Racing Santander, and coach Pep Guardiola warned his side prior to last night's game they could not afford a repeat showing.

Messi said after the Stuttgart match: "Right now I don't know what the coach told us at half-time, but we knew that we had to change a lot to get the draw.

"I don't know what happened. It's true that recently we've not been playing the same football as before, we don't have the rhythm that we need to have. But now is the most important time and we must get this back."

He added on his club's website: "We knew that it would be a game like that, we've managed to get a draw and score a goal, and at this stage that's most important.

"In the return at home we have to do much better than we've done here."

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