Barcelona: Lionel Messi broke yet another record in an already remarkable season as Barcelona finally broke down AC Milan’s stubborn defence to move one step closer to becoming the first team to defend their Champions League title.
The three-time World Player of the Year scored two first-half penalties on Tuesday to lead the Spanish club to a 3-1 victory over Milan and a place in the semi-finals of the tournament for the fifth straight season. In the process, he became the first player to score 14 goals in one Champions League campaign, breaking Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record from 2002-03.
After leaving the San Siro feeling aggrieved at not having been awarded at least one penalty in a 0-0 draw, Barcelona took full advantage of getting two spot-kicks this time and then held off the visitors attempt at a fightback.
Messi opened the scoring in the 11th minute at the Camp Nou before Antonio Nocerino countered with a 32nd-minute strike that gave the Italian champions a valuable away goal that provided hope of advancing.
Barcelona’s attack did not relent and the defending champions were awarded a second penalty when Alessandro Nesta needlessly yanked Sergio Busquets down inside the area during a corner, and Messi calmly scored his 58th goal of the season in all competitions. Goalkeeper Christian Abbiati kept Milan in reach but could not stop Andres Iniesta from completing the victory from close range in the 53rd.
As Messi set a record for goals in a Champions League campaign with 14, Barcelona also became the first club in the modern-day edition of the European Cup to reach five straight semi-finals. Only Real Madrid had accomplished the feat en route to winning five straight trophies between 1956-60.
Milan, meanwhile, haven’t reached the last-four since winning their last title in 2007 and their players quickly surrounded Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers to protest after the final whistle.
“Sometimes the referee made too many concessions,” Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri said. “I don’t know if it proved decisive. We made a mistake on the first penalty but he helped on the second. Playing Barca is never easy.”
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola believed his team’s general effort made up for any controversy as the Catalans outshot the Rossoneri 21-3.
“You can talk all you want about referees but that makes it five straight semi-finals, the fruits of our talent and a lot of work,” Guardiola said. “We deserved more than to just get through, so I’m satisfied.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic set up the equalizer and had a penalty appeal turned down in the second half, but was mostly muted by defender Gerard Pique in his first return to the Camp Nou since leaving Barcelona in 2010.
“I’m just disgusted,” the Sweden striker said. “They are the best team in the world but at 1-1 and, playing with intelligence, you can do something. In my opinion it wasn’t fair.”
The match began with an electrifying pace as Barcelona pushed forward from the start and managed 12 first-half shots, with Iniesta failing to finish off a nice combination with Messi, who himself shot straight at Abbiati following an upfield charge after five minutes.
Messi uncharacteristically shot wide across the face of goal after displaying great control on being put clean through by a beautiful piece of combination play from Cesc Fabregas and Dani Alves with just Abbiati to beat, but scored his opener moments later. Luca Antonini slid into Messi from behind during a scramble in the area, and the 24-year-old Argentina forward became the youngest player to reach 50 goals in the competition when he slotted his spot-kick just out of reach of a diving Abbiati.
While Barcelona maintained control with their usual passing game, the Rossoneri defence held firm to avoid further goals before Robinho’s individual effort created the equalizer. The Brazil striker drew a number of players before spotting Ibrahimovic, who put an unmarked Nocerino through on goal to slot a low shot past Victor Valdes from the right side of the area.
Knowing a scoring draw would put Milan through, Barcelona kept pressing for another goal and Abbiati had to stretch to push away a shot from Xavi Hernandez, a surprise starter despite a calf injury.
Instead it was Milan’s disciplined defence — which held Barcelona scoreless in a Champions League game for the first time in more than two years in the first leg — that finally cracked as Nesta gave away a cheap penalty when he tussled with Busquets during a corner and tugged his shirt. Messi sent Abbiati the wrong way from the spot again to match Mazzola Altafini’s 49-year mark of 14 goals in a European Cup campaign. Ruud van Nistelrooy scored 13 in 2002-03, a mark that Messi matched last year.
Milan clung on after the restart but were unlucky when Messi’s effort was deflected into the path of Iniesta, who picked his spot inside the far corner to put the quarter-final match out of reach.
Xavi’s replacement Thiago Alcantara had Barcelona’s best chance after that as he shot wide across the face of goal, while Daniel Alves cleared away Milan’s most dangerous chance to get back into the game moments before in the 67th.
Barca will next face the winner of the Chelsea-Benfica tie, with the first leg set to take place on April 18.
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