Barcelona 1 - 0 Man City
29.05.2020 03:45
Lionel Messi's masterclass dumped Manchester City out of the Champions League as the Premier League failed to provide a team in the last eight for the second time in three seasons.
Already leading 2-1 from the first leg of the last-16 tie, Barca tore through City as Neymar hit the post early on.
Messi set up Ivan Rakitic, who lobbed Joe Hart for a first-half goal.
City then needed two goals to take it to extra-time but Sergio Aguero's penalty was saved after he was fouled.
Although that golden opportunity in the 78th minute would have ensured a tense finale at the Nou Camp, it would also have put an unfair slant on the game, which Barca dominated for long periods.
The four-time champions registered 23 attempts toward the City goal but found keeper Hart in superb form as he almost took on a personal duel with Messi and kept the Argentine, and his team-mates, at bay.
City have now failed to reach the quarter-finals in each of their four Champions League campaigns.
As the best paid team in world sport, according to a recent study , it seems like a poor return on that investment.
With a fourth defeat in their last five games, there is also a genuine threat that their season could end up trophy-less. Manuel Pellegrini's side sit six points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea, who have a game in hand.
The former Villarreal boss admitted this week that he did not feel under pressure despite speculation that he could be sacked at the end of the season.
But after a wonderful exhibition of cute passing and mesmerising dribbling from Messi, there was little either Pellegrini or his team could do to stop the 27-year-old.
From the beginning, he was a menace, whether exchanging one-twos with Andres Iniesta or curling free-kicks with the type of spin a baseball pitcher would have been proud of.
The only thing missing from Messi's superlative display was a goal.
But after Neymar had hit the post early on after Vincent Kompany was dispossessed on the edge of his own box, Messi turned provider when he found Rakitic with a crossfield pass following a quick counter-attack.
In City's only notable chance of the first half, James Milner failed to touch in Yaya Toure's low cross.
Luis Suarez, who scored twice in the first leg, hit the post before the break and there was no let-up after the interval.
Fortunately for City, Hart had a superb night and made 10 saves overall, a record for an English goalkeeper in the Champions League.
As the game entered its last half hour, the visitors did threaten the Barca goal and they were prepared to leave gaps at the back in doing so.
Their chance to change the tie's complexion was wasted, though, after Aguero was tripped in the penalty area by Gerard Pique.
City's top scorer stepped up to take the kick himself but Marc-Andre ter Stegen easily saved to his right.
(BBC)
ANN.Az
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