Eto'o crowned Pichichi

ByEurosport

Published 20/05/2006 at 21:00 GMT

Samuel Eto'o scored to finish Liga top scorer this season, but could not stop Barcelona losing 3-1 at Athletic Bilbao on Saturday. In the final game of the season, Eto'o drove home a superb first-half effort to edge onto 26 goals for the campaign, one mor

The team Frank Rijkaard sent out at San Mames was a mere hint of the one which claimed the European Cup on Wednesday, with Ronaldinho and Deco two notable absentees.

Paris match-winner Juliano Belletti was present and Eto'o was given the chance to make up for the disappointment of losing out to Villarreal's Diego Forlan at the death last season.

And the Cameroon striker did not have to wait too long to earn himself the crown of El Pichichi - latching onto the young Ludovic's pass after 35 minutes to crash a sweet shot past Inaki Lafuente and write himself into the history books.

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FOOTBALL La Liga 2005/2006 Athletic Barcelona Etoo

Image credit: EFE

Eto'o could have had a second late in the game, brushing off a challenge only to shoot straight at Lafuente, but may still find himself awarded a further disputed goal to reach 27 anyway.

But the newly-crowned European champions had few bright moments in a game that smacked of exactly what it was - a meaningless contest, other than the Eto'o footnote.

HURL ABUSE

The most animated the crowd became in a dreary first half was to hurl abuse every time Athletic old boy Santi Ezquerro - enduring a rare run-out - before their side stirred themselves to get the upper hand against a boyish Barça.

Andoni Iraola profited from Fernando Llorente's aerial prowess to level just before the hour, but it was only in the last ten minutes that the gloss was added to the scoreline.

FOOTBALL La liga 2005/2006 Athletic Barcelona Maxi

Image credit: EFE

Felipe Guerendez drilled home from outside the box with ten minutes to go, before Champions League winner Joan Oleguer turned a Joseba Etxeberria cross past second-string keeper Albert Jorquera.

But Victor Valdes' shadow was given the chance to show that he has quality with a fantastic stop from a crafted Julen Guerrero free-kick two minutes from the final whistle to prevent humiliation.

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