Barcelona edge 10-man City to march into quarters

Andy West 09:27 13/03/2014
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  • Constant threat: Messi is now just four goals short of Raul’s Champions League record.

    Lionel Messi broke Manchester City’s resistance by striking his 67th Champions League goal in the 67th minute to rubber-stamp Barcelona’s place in the Champions League quarter-finals.

    Late goals from Vincent Kompany and Dani Alves were essentially meaningless, with the damage done when Messi pounced on an error by Joleon Lescott to open the scoring after a game containing plenty of chances for both sides.

    In an edgy start, Lescott was lucky to avoid a booking after dragging back Messi on the halfway line and then surviving a decent penalty appeal after another challenge on the Argentine.

    The home side launched a number of dangerous early attacks, with City forced into a series of desperate challenges – notably when Messi raced into the area and bundled his way past Joe Hart, forcing Kompany into a near post clearance.

    Barca were harshly denied an opener when Xavi released Jordi Alba and the full-back crossed for Neymar to tap-in, only to see the linesman’s flag wrongly raised for offside against Alba.

    The visitors had their first clear chance when Yaya Toure led a break and found David Silva on the right, but the Spanish international curled his shot well over the bar.

    Then it was Barca’s chance to spurn a good chance when Aleksandar Kolarov’s slip allowed Neymar to race towards goal, but his shot lacked conviction and Hart made an excellent low save, with the England keeper again doing well to deny Xavi after a pass byMessi from the resulting corner.

    Toure was at the heart of City’s attacking thrusts and he was the catalyst for a great chance as he found Sergio Aguero whose flick released Samir Nasri, but the Frenchman shot too close to Victor Valdes.

    The first half’s final opportunity fell Barca’s way following a piece of Messi brilliance to release Neymar. The Brazilian drew Hart off his line and curled a narrow-angled rightfooter towards goal, but Fernandinho got back to head clear.

    Half-time substitute Edin Dzeko threatened an immediate impact by pouncing on a loose ball and shooting from 20 yards, but Valdes saved to his left.

    Messi was then desperately unlucky after picking up Lescott’s loose pass and driving towards goal to strike a left-footed shot which cannoned to safety off the base of the post, before City quickly broke and Dzeko’s towering header forced an excellent save from Valdes.

    The hosts then had an enormous let-off when Kolarov’s low cross was allowed to travel to Pablo Zabaleta, who badly sliced a glorious opening well wide.

    Messi dragged a low effort wide and Gerard Pique’s last-ditch challenge denied Fernandinho as both teams continued to look capable of scoring.

    And the long-threatened opener finally arrived as Messi pounced on loose defending from Lescott as he attempted to clear Fabregas’ through ball, and the rest was inevitable as the Argentine flicked home a delicate shot with the outside of his left boot.

    City were clearly deflated and Hart made a full-stretch save from Xavi to keep his side’s increasingly slim chances alive. But the visitors were reduced to 10 men when Dzeko had a good penalty appeal against Pique waved away and Zabaleta earned his second yellow card for dissent.

    The outstanding Kompany prodded home a late leveller from a corner, before Alves smashed home Andres Iniesta’s cutback to complete the scoring.

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