Messi breaks Willian heart
drive just over. Then from Hazard’s corner, Antonio Rudiger nodded just wide.
Chelsea looked dangerous on the break with Willian’s pace but in an instant Messi found Paulinho clear, only for the Brazilian to fluff an easy header.
It was Chelsea who had to be patient, as ever, as their rivals probed. But when Willian was brought down after another electric burst, Marcos Alonso’s free-kick was saved.
Willian then jinked sideways, found a yard of space, and his curling right-footer came back off the post.
And when Sergio Roberto gave the ball away, there was Willian again, curling in a drive that hit the other post.
Chelsea were more than holding their own when the half-time break came and Willian had been so unlucky. Barcelona’s chances were still few, though, after the break. Suarez did see his shot pushed away by Thibaut Courtois but once again, as in the first half, it was cat-and-mouse stuff.
And then Willian struck. Hazard played the ball across the edge of the area to the Brazilian, who again jinked sideways and this time he bent his low shot through the crowd and past Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.
But then disaster. Christensen played a poor ball across the box. Andres Iniesta nipped in over Cesar Azlpilicueta’s tackle, raced through, squared the ball and there was Messi. CHELSEA (3-4-3): Courtois; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Rudiger; Moses, Kante, Fabregas (Drinkwater 83), Alonso; Willian, Hazard, Pedro (Morata 83). Booked: Rudiger. Goal: Willian 62. BARCELONA (4-4-2): Ter Stegen; Roberto, Pique, Umtiti, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Paulinho (Vidal 63), Iniesta; Messi, L Suarez. Booked: Rakitic, L Suarez, Busquets. Goal: Messi 75. Referee: C Cakir (Turkey).