Champions League: The 5-goal Master, Messi

How is it possible that Barcelona is so far ahead of the rest of Europe - and let us remember that despite the positions in the Spanish League, Barça has the advantage in one-on-one games with R. Madrid? The answer? Stability and a concentration of the football school system. APOEL is the first Cypriot team to go through to the Quarter-final stage.

Barcelona 7            v.       Bayer Leverkusen 1

Messi 25,42,49,58,84       Bellarabi 90+1

Tello 55,62

First leg: 3-1 Aggregate : 10-2

 

FIVE goals from Messi says it all.

Barcelona: Víctor Valdés, Daniel Alves, Piqué, Fàbregas, Xavi Hernández, Iniesta, Mascherano, Busquets, Adriano, Messi, Pedro Rodríguez SUBS: José Pinto, Marc Muniesa, Bartra, Keita, Sergi Roberto, Tello, Isaac Cuenca.

Leverkusen: Leno, Schwaab, Reinartz, Ömer Toprak, Michal Kadlec, Castro, Rolfes, Bender, Renato Augusto, Kiessling, Derdiyok SUBS: Giefer, Oczipka, Manuel Friedrich, Ortega, Zenga, Bellarabi, Schürrle.

APOEL 1 v. Olympique Lyonnais 0 (4 :3 pen.)

Manduca, 9

First leg : 0-1 Aggregate: 1-1 APOEL wins on penalties

Amazing game and result for APOEL, the first Cypriot side to get to the last 8 in any European competition, ever.

APOEL: Chiotis, Paulo Jorge, Oliveira, Poursaitides, Hélder Sousa, William Boaventura, Charalambides, Manduca, Nuno Morais, Aílton, Solari SUBS: Pardo, Kaká, Satsias, Alexandrou, Solomou, Marcinho, Tričkovski.

Lyon: Lloris, Cris, Koné, Réveillère, Cissokho, Källström, Ederson, Bastos, Gonalons, Lisandro, Briand SUBS: Vercoutre, Lovren, Dabo, Fofana, Grenier, Lacazette, Gomis.

Day One March 6

Zenit is eliminated by Benfica with goals late in each half, scored by Maxi Pereira and Nelson Oliveira. Arsenal tried the greatest comeback ever in European competitions, from 4-0 down. At the interval, 3-0 seemed viable but AC Milan knew how to stem the tide after the break. Arsene Wenger has a monster brewing...watch this space.

Tuesday March 6

Benfica 2 Zenit St. Petersburg 0

Maxi Pereira 45+1

Nelson Oliveira 90+3

First leg: 2-3 Aggregate: 4-3

Arsenal 3 AC Milan 0

Koscielny, 7; Rosický, 26; Van Persie, 43 (Penalty)

First leg: 0-4 Aggregate: 3-4

Next week

March 13

FC Bayern München - FC Basel 1893

First leg: 0-1

FC Internazionale Milano - Olympique de Marseille

First leg : 0-1

March 14

Chelsea FC v. Napoli

First leg: 1-3

Real Madrid v. CSKA Moskva

First leg: 1-1

Previous games

 First Leg Tuesday February 21

  

SSC Napoli 3 - Chelsea FC 1

Lavezzi 39, 65  Juan Mata, 27

Cavani 45+2

 

PFC CSKA Moskva 1 - Real Madrid CF 1

Wernbloom 90+3           Cristiano Ronaldo 28

 

 

First Leg Wednesday February 15

AC Milan (ITA) 4 - Arsenal FC (ENG) 0

Boateng (15)

Robinho (38, 49)

Ibrahimovic (79, pen.)

 

FC Zenit St. Petersburg (RUS) 3 - SL Benfica (POR) 2

Shirokov (27)                                  Maxi Pereira (20)

Semak (71)                                      Óscar Cardozo (87)

Shirokov (88)

 

 

Olympique Lyonnais (FRA) 1 - APOEL FC (CYP) 0

Lacazette, 58

 

 

Bayer 04 Leverkusen (GER) 1 - FC Barcelona (ESP) 3

M. Kadlec, 52                     Alexis Sanchez 41, 55

        Messi, 88

 

 

First Leg Wednesday February 22

FC Basel 1893 1 - FC Bayern München 0

Stocker 86

  

Olympique de Marseille 1 - FC Internazionale Milano 0

A. Ayew 90+3

 

Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey

Pravda.Ru