Barça, PSG finish the job (PA) Wednesday 12 March 2014 Share Barcelona and Paris-Saint Germain held their nerve on home soil as the pair held their nerve to not throw away first-leg leads to see off the challenges of Manchester City and Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League last 16. Lionel Messi and Dani Alves both scored again as Barcelona claimed their place in the quarter-finals with a 2-1 win over the English Premier League side. The pair, who both struck in the 2-0 first-leg win, were on target in the second half at the Nou Camp as Barca completed a 4-1 aggregate win. City were briefly level at 1-1 after a late Vincent Kompany effort but it proved mere consolation for the visitors, who had Pablo Zabaleta sent off for two bookable offences. History repeated itself in many ways. It was not only in the identity of the Barcelona goalscorers and the Citys reduction to that the game mirrored the first encounter. City deviated from their regular 4-4-2 formation and bulked up midfield by bringing in James Milner. But with David Silva operating behind lone striker Sergio Aguero, they acknowledged the need to attack. An early goal would have brought them back into the tie and they started confidently. Milner broke free down the left and pulled the ball across the box for Silva but the Spaniard declined to shoot and a chance was lost. City made a better job of breaking up Barcelonas possession than they did in the last meeting but it was still a tough task and they conceded a number of fouls, with three yellows in the first period. City had a scare when Messi weaved his way into the area and beat Joe Hart but he moved wide and Kompany cleared. City applied some pressure but Silva missed the target from the edge of the box. They escaped again as Neymar deftly headed past Kolarov to open up a chance but his low shot hit the side-netting. Hart then parried a quickfire Xavi shot. City created a clear-cut chance just before the interval when Silva cleverly flicked back Yaya Toures ball but Samir Nasri shot straight at Victor Valdes. The half ended with Fernandinho heading off the line from Neymar after the Brazilian had been put through following more Messi trickery. Dzeko was sent on for the ineffective Aguero at half-time and the Bosnian immediately added teeth to the attack and tested Valdes with a powerful strike. But City were still vulnerable at the back and they again rode their luck when Messi seized possession and slid a fine shot past Hart but against the post. City chanced their arm more and a well-placed looping header from Dzeko was superbly clawed out of the top corner by Valdes. Zabaleta also found himself in space as Kolarov crossed but dragged his shot well wide. Barça sensed the threat and simply upped their game. After firing wide Messi then made no mistake after 67 minutes as he pounced on Lescotts failed attempt to clear a Cesc Fabregas pass and dinked the ball over Hart. City tried to fight on but their task became even tougher when Zabaleta was dismissed, with the Argentinian taking protests too far following a waved-away penalty and was given his marching orders with a second yellow card. Kompany pulled one back after Dzeko won a header at a corner but it was too little too late and Alves again caught them on the break in the dying moments. Marquinhos, Lavezzi ensure victory Paris Saint-Germains quest to win a first Champions League crown moved a step closer as they secured a quarter-final spot with a 6-1 aggregate mauling of Bayer Leverkusen. Leading 4-0 from the first leg in Germany, it would have taken a huge upset for PSG not to progress and, despite having a couple of scares, the big-spending French champions did just that with a 2-1 second-leg triumph at the Parc des Princes. The 2002 Champions League finalists were determined not to go down without a fight and they stunned PSG when Sam gave them an early lead, the Germany international getting on the end of Giulio Donatis cross to head home at the far post. PSG, who are still in contention for three trophies in the next few months, did not take long to hit back though, with star man Zlatan Ibrahimovic almost inevitably involved. He was unlucky not to net the equaliser himself, Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno deflecting his low shot behind with his leg, but from the resulting corner PSG did score with Marquinhos powerfully heading in Yohan Cabayes flag kick. Ibrahimovic then came within inches of putting PSG ahead in the 18th minute when his dink over Leno came back off the crossbar. PSG seemed to have recovered from that early setback, but they received further warning Leverkusen were not going to roll over as the visitors won a penalty in the 27th minute when Christophe Jallet tugged back Eren Derdiyok. That was a great chance for Leverkusen to turn the pressure up on PSG, but Sirigu dived to his left to push away Rolfes spot-kick and the opportunity was lost. PSG made sure the escape was not wasted. Leno denied Edinson Cavani before the break but he was powerless to stop Lavezzi slotting in Lucas Dignes cut-back in the 53rd minute, the ball going through a group of players on its way into the net to make it 2-1. Still Leverkusen refused to concede the fight, and Sirigu needed to produce a brilliant save to keep out Gonzalo Castros shot two minutes later. The visitors hopes of at least avoiding defeat on the night suffered a major blow in the 68th minute, though, when Can was shown a second yellow card for diving.
Posted on: Wed, 12 Mar 2014 23:37:07 +0000
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