Internacional shock Barca

Substitute Luis Adriano flicked on a long ball to the impressive Iarley, who evaded the attentions of Carles Puyol, before unleashing Adriano, who prodded the ball home past the onrushing Victor Valdes.

Barcelona have done well to cope without long-term injury victim Samuel Eto'o though his absence today was felt heavily as the European champions lacked incisiveness and pace in attack.

Deco forced an excellent fingertip save from goalkeeper Clemer on 84 minutes and the introduction of Xavi gave them an extra dimension late on, but Internacional's disciplined defence resticted their European counterparts to a succession of speculative shots from outside the area.

After both sides had spent the opening quarter of an hour probing each other and mounting hesitant attacks, Barcelona sparked the game into life as Giovanni van Bronckhorst stung the hands of Clemer from 25 yards, while Ronaldinho saw his shot deflected wide from the rebound.

The chunky-legged Brazilian tried frequently to escape the attentions of the Internacional defence, though on the whole was well-marshalled by Indio.

Ronaldinho tried a repeat of his clever free-kick against Werder Bremen on the half-hour mark and found a gap in the wall, but Clemer was alive to the danger, and saved comfortable.

The second half was a rather tepid affair until the introduction of Xavi for Thiago Motta with 15 minutes remaining.

The Spain international's impact of the game was immediate, and he twice got in behind the Internacional back line, though saw a cross thwarted by Edinho on the first occasion, before Clemer got down well to his right to stop a well struck shot on the second.

But Iarley remained a constant threat for the Brazilian side, and it was he who crafted the winner, releasing Adriano with ten minutes to go, who calmly tucked the ball under Valdes and into the far corner.

Ronaldinho fizzed a free-kick just millimetres wide with the clock ticking down as Clemer stood rooted to the spot, but the Internacional retained possession well to close the game out.