Into the quarters with magic and drama (3-1) aggregate 4-3
On a magical evening, Barça outplayed Arsenal to make amends for the 2-1 defeat in the first leg. Leo Messi made it 1-0 before the break, and the Catalans clinched it in the second half through Xavi and Messi. Barça are back in the quarter finals.
Talent and pride have guided FC Barcelona into the quarter finals of the Champions League in a gripping encounter with Arsenal. There was no arguing who dominated the possession. It was Barça, while the Premiership side had clearly only come to defend the 2-1 lead from London. They succeeded until Messi broke the deadlock just before the break. What followed was an absolute thriller of a second half, where Arsenal managed to tie the game without having managed a single shot on target. In the end, Xavi and Messi responded by finding the target and securing Barça’s passage into the second round.
Barça on the attack
Things started well for Barça. They had Arsenal absolutely smothered and created constant pressure, with Busquets and Mascherano simply magnificent. All the football was in Arsenal’s half, and things looked even worse for them when in the 18th minute they were obliged to switch their injured keeper Szczesny for Almunia. But the English club managed to weather the storm with some very intense defending, although the home fans may have had a point when they screamed for a penalty on Messi.
Things started well for Barça. They had Arsenal absolutely smothered and created constant pressure, with Busquets and Mascherano simply magnificent. All the football was in Arsenal’s half, and things looked even worse for them when in the 18th minute they were obliged to switch their injured keeper Szczesny for Almunia. But the English club managed to weather the storm with some very intense defending, although the home fans may have had a point when they screamed for a penalty on Messi.
Messi passes judgement
Despite Barça’s staggering dominance, they were missing that extra spark to convert it into goals. Adriano came closest when he hit the post after a zippy 36th minute run down the left, but five minutes into first half injury time, it looked like it would still be all-square at the break. But then Iniesta found Messi, and the Argentinian cheekily chipped the ball over Almunia and met the ball as it came down to make it 1-0.
Despite Barça’s staggering dominance, they were missing that extra spark to convert it into goals. Adriano came closest when he hit the post after a zippy 36th minute run down the left, but five minutes into first half injury time, it looked like it would still be all-square at the break. But then Iniesta found Messi, and the Argentinian cheekily chipped the ball over Almunia and met the ball as it came down to make it 1-0.
Equaliser and Van Persie off
In the first half, Barcelona had looked the only side that wanted to win it, but Arsenal were now obliged to take more risks. It became a feast of end-to-end football, and then in the 53rd minute, the Gunners equalised when Busquets headed a corner into his own net. The Londoners hadn’t had a single shot on target, yet they were back level! But then came another unexpected twist, when Van Persie got himself sent off for shooting when offside, a second bookable offence, and from there on Barcelona had the game under their complete control.
In the first half, Barcelona had looked the only side that wanted to win it, but Arsenal were now obliged to take more risks. It became a feast of end-to-end football, and then in the 53rd minute, the Gunners equalised when Busquets headed a corner into his own net. The Londoners hadn’t had a single shot on target, yet they were back level! But then came another unexpected twist, when Van Persie got himself sent off for shooting when offside, a second bookable offence, and from there on Barcelona had the game under their complete control.
Just rewards
It was disturbingly similar situation to the one we had against Inter a in the semi finals last year. But Arsenal are no Italians. Enjoying even more space than ever, it was only some last-ditch defending and excellent interventions by Almunia that kept the score level. The second goal finally came in the 69th minute when Iniesta, Villa and Xavi produced a brilliant combination play, and the latter completed the move with the kind of brilliance we have come to expect of him. This scoreline would have sent the game into extra time, but the Catalans didn’t want to wait, and Messi made it 3-1 by converting a clear penalty on Pedro. The Camp Nou could start celebrating.
It was disturbingly similar situation to the one we had against Inter a in the semi finals last year. But Arsenal are no Italians. Enjoying even more space than ever, it was only some last-ditch defending and excellent interventions by Almunia that kept the score level. The second goal finally came in the 69th minute when Iniesta, Villa and Xavi produced a brilliant combination play, and the latter completed the move with the kind of brilliance we have come to expect of him. This scoreline would have sent the game into extra time, but the Catalans didn’t want to wait, and Messi made it 3-1 by converting a clear penalty on Pedro. The Camp Nou could start celebrating.
Quality and sacrifice
Facing Barça’s passing machine and with one man less was proving too much for Arsenal, and they were visibly tired of being outnumbered and outclassed. But there were twenty minutes left to play and one goal was still all they needed to qualify. The Barça fans had their hearts in their mouths when Danish striker found himself through on goal in the 87th minute, but a match-saving tackle from Mascherano saved the day. Ultimately, the best side clearly won, and Barça also showed that they know how to battle for the right result. They are into the last eight and the Wembley dream is still very much alive.
Facing Barça’s passing machine and with one man less was proving too much for Arsenal, and they were visibly tired of being outnumbered and outclassed. But there were twenty minutes left to play and one goal was still all they needed to qualify. The Barça fans had their hearts in their mouths when Danish striker found himself through on goal in the 87th minute, but a match-saving tackle from Mascherano saved the day. Ultimately, the best side clearly won, and Barça also showed that they know how to battle for the right result. They are into the last eight and the Wembley dream is still very much alive.
Brilliant Barcelona outgun ten-man Arsenal
A Lionel Messi-inspired FC Barcelona pushed through to the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals with a dramatic 3-1 victory that was tense to the last.
Messi put the home side in front; Sergio Busquets' own goal swung the tie in Arsenal FC's favour before the 56th-minute departure of Robin van Persie to a red card restored Barcelona's ascendancy. Goals from Xavi Hernández and Messi, from the penalty spot, confirmed it and, with a 4-3 aggregate triumph, the Spanish titleholders' place in next Friday's draw for the last eight.
The first half continued seamlessly from the brilliance of the first leg. Barça pushed, probed and harassed the visitors with a hunger and relentlessness that grew and grew. It took until added time before the break for that Messi goal, yet Pedro Rodríguez brought a terrific tackle from Laurent Koscielny after only three minutes: the tone was set.
Again and again Johan Djourou, Koscielny or Jack Wilshere showed that the art of tackling in extremis has not been lost. Though by the time Barça forced a second save out of Arsenal the first one had already cost the Gunners their goalkeeper. Daniel Alves's stinging free-kick bent back Wojciech Szczęsny's fingers; on came Manuel Almunia.
The Spanish custodian must have been extra motivated by the challenge of excelling in his homeland but also sick of the sight of the Catalan giants: he had conceded eight goals in three previous encounters. He saved from David Villa, Adriano hit the post with a vicious shot then Josep Guardiola's side did what they do best.
Cesc Fàbregas's back-heel on the edge of the box was slack but the lurking Andrés Iniesta still had much to do, pouncing and releasing Messi with a delicious pass. The Argentina forward responded in kind, flipping the ball over Almunia, swivelling and volleying in.
The drama had barely begun. Shortly after the restart stand-in central defender Busquets contrived to head Samir Nasri's corner into his own net and suddenly Arsenal were nominally in command. For a moment, the Camp Nou and its beloved team wavered – but not for long.
Almunia was inspired, his personal duel with Villa immense. Time and again he saved at the striker's feet with bravery and brilliant judgement. Frustration grew, then Van Persie was adjudged to have kicked the ball away after an offside decision. He received a second booking and the game was back in Barça's hands.
It took ten more minutes but when Villa's deft pass glanced into Xavi's path the midfielder clipped effort finally superseded Almunia. Five minutes later the final reckoning came. Arsenal had produced brilliant penalty box interceptions all night but finally Koscielny mis-timed his attempt at robbing Pedro, the winger tumbled and referee Massimo Busacca pointed to the spot.
Messi sucked in his cheeks, focused and gently slid the ball to Almunia's left for the decisive moment in a titanic tie. Even then, substitute Nicklas Bendtner so nearly won Arsenal a remarkable victory but Javier Mascherano's brilliant covering tackle denied him.
______________________________________________by Graham Hunter
No comments:
Post a Comment