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Rediff.com  » Sports » Champions League PIX: Barcelona crush Chelsea; Bayern in quarters

Champions League PIX: Barcelona crush Chelsea; Bayern in quarters

Last updated on: March 15, 2018 11:36 IST
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Barcelona’s Lionel Messi celebrates scoring their third goal

IMAGE: Barcelona’s Lionel Messi celebrates scoring their third goal against Chelsea at the Camp Nou in Barcelona Photograph: Albert Gea/Reuters

Lionel Messi scored two brilliant goals and created another for Ousmane Dembele as Barcelona thrashed Chelsea 3-0 on Wednesday to reach the Champions League quarter-finals 4-1 on aggregate.

Messi opened the scoring after two minutes and eight seconds, the quickest goal of his career, slipping the ball through Thibaut Courtois' legs from a tight angle.

The Argentine forward created the second with a blistering run from the halfway line which left three Chelsea defenders stumbling in his wake, before squaring the ball for Ousmane Dembele to rifle home his first goal for the club.

Marcos Alonso hit the post and Olivier Giroud was unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty for a tangle with Gerard Pique as Chelsea tried to launch a comeback, before Messi killed the tie with his 100th Champions League goal.

Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele celebrates with teammate Lionel Messi as he scores their second goal as Thibaut Courtois and N'Golo Kante of Chelsea look dejected

IMAGE: Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele celebrates with teammate Lionel Messi as he scores their second goal as Thibaut Courtois and N'Golo Kante of Chelsea look dejected. Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

"To have Messi in the team is a luxury, he's such a good player that in any move he can create danger against you," Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde said.

"Our attacking play goes through him and any move is improved by his touch."

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte said his side needed a perfect display to progress but they started disastrously at a packed Nou Camp when Luis Suarez teed up Messi, who squeezed a low strike through the legs of Courtois from a tight angle.

The visitors responded well with Giroud and Willian, who scored in the 1-1 first-leg draw at StamfordBridge, particularly bright in attack.

Chelsea's Olivier Giroud shoots at goal past Barcelona’s Samuel Umtiti

IMAGE: Chelsea's Olivier Giroud shoots at goal past Barcelona’s Samuel Umtiti. Photograph: Albert Gea/Reuters

But a mistake from Cesc Fabregas on the halfway line allowed Messi to break in again after 20 minutes and the number 10 left the Chelsea backline in tatters to set up the second goal, expertly finished by Dembele.

The English side, now needing two goals, nearly got one before halftime. N'Golo Kante dragged a shot inches wide and Marcos Alonso crashed a free kick off the post.

It was the third time across the two legs that Chelsea hit the woodwork and Antonio Rudiger did it again in the closing stages.

Giroud appeared to be brought down by Pique in the area but referee Damir Skomina did not bow to Chelsea's protests for a penalty, before Messi drove at the defence again and slotted home Barcelona's third in the 62nd minute, shooting low between Courtois' legs for the second time.

Chelsea's Marcos Alonso is challenged by Barcelona’s Gerard Pique and Sergi Roberto Action

IMAGE: Chelsea's Marcos Alonso is challenged by Barcelona’s Gerard Pique and Sergi Roberto. Photograph: Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

"(For) the first goal, I did not expect Messi to shoot from that angle and I was too late in closing my legs, it was a mistake on my part," Courtois told BT Sport.

"I played against Messi a lot of times, I have already conceded goals like that before. The weakest point is between the legs or a goalkeeper, it is annoying.

"I cannot hide inside, I have to be a man and come out. I made some good saves too but we go out with conceding four goals from four mistakes."

Barcelona reached the Champions League quarter-finals for the 11th consecutive season while Chelsea were left facing a battle to qualify for the competition again as they scrap for a top-four finish in the Premier League.

Bayern Munich’s Sandro Wagner celebrates scoring their third goal

IMAGE: Bayern Munich’s Sandro Wagner celebrates scoring their third goal against Besiktas at the Vodafone Arena in Istanbul, Turkey. Photograph: Osman Orsal/Reuters

Treble-chasing Bayern Munich eased past Turkey's Besiktas 3-1 on Wednesday to breeze into the Champions League quarter-finals with an 8-1 aggregate win.

It was a record 11th straight victory in the competition for coach Jupp Heynckes, who had led Bayern to the title in 2013 before retiring and returning this season.

The German side went ahead through Thiago Alcantara in the 18th minute with the Spaniard volleying in a Thomas Mueller cross to kill off any lingering hopes of a miracle recovery by the Turkish team after Bayern had crushed them 5-0 in the first leg in Munich.

The Spaniard, however, was taken off with a suspected ankle problem a little later after only recently returning from an injury break. He will undergo medical checks in Munich on Thursday, club officials said.

Bayern, who could secure their sixth consecutive Bundesliga title at the weekend, went 2-0 up seconds after the second-half restart when Gokhan Gonul volleyed a Rafinha cross into his own net.

"In the second half we were not really in control. It was a bit wild, all over the place. We lost possession too often, made unnecessary fouls," Bayern's Mueller told reporters.

Besiktas' Vagner Love and Bayern Munich's Rafinha vie for the ball in an aerial challenge

IMAGE: Besiktas' Vagner Love and Bayern Munich's Rafinha vie for the ball in an aerial challenge. Photograph: Murad Sezer/Reuters

"We won 3-1 away from home but somehow that second half did not feel really that good."

Besiktas, who were missing their entire central defence, offered little resistance despite controlling possession.

They did manage to pull a goal back through Vagner Love's effort in the 58th minute which breathed some brief life into the hosts and the 40,000 home fans.

Yet Bayern substitute Sandro Wagner chested in a David Alaba cross with six minutes remaining to make sure of Bayern's victory.

Wagner, who joined Bayern in the January transfer window, has already scored in the Champions League qualifying rounds for Hoffenheim this season as well as in the Europa League.

The quarter-final draw will take place on Friday.

 

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