HORRIBLE MESSI
CHELSEA v BARCELONA Barca superstar Leo has never found the net against Chelsea
WIGAN stunned Premier League champions-elect Man City on a night that will go down in FA Cup folklore.
Will Grigg got the 79th-minute goal in a game marred by crowd trouble as Wigan celebrated.
City were reduced to 10 right on half-time when Fabian Delph lunged at Max Power and was sent off, although ref Anthony Taylor seemed to first show yellow then swap it for red.
The goal came when Kyle Walker failed to deal with a long ball and Grigg latched on to it and finished well.
Wigan boss Paul Cook said: “It feels great. We had to ride our luck and the sending off was big.”
City gaffer Pep Guardiola said: “We made a mistake. Congratulations to Wigan.” PEDRO LIONEL MESSI is the best player in the world – apart from when he faces Chelsea.
The Barcelona star has made a career of destroying all-comers but has not been able to score in his eight games against the Blues.
Messi also memorably missed a penalty in their Nou Camp semi on the way to Chelsea securing the Champions League in 2012.
Blues winger Pedro, who played for Barca that night, insists the Argentine and his teammates are still haunted by it.
And he claims Messi’s Chelsea curse may prove the most decisive factor ahead of their 16th meeting. Pedro said: “Messi is the best player in the world.
“But he’s not invincible. Obviously it’s Barcelona, it’s Messi. It’s very difficult to stop this guy because he’s very quick and clever.
“But it’s not impossible. He’s on another level. No one can do what he does. To have played with him is special and something to tell my sons because he’ll probably be considered the best in history. I remember those games in 2012 so well. Chelsea were always horrible opponents – very difficult, compact, strong in defence and pressed very well. We always found it difficult.
“For the players of Barcelona they’ll be thinking this tie is going to be tough because Chelsea are strong and it’s never easy to play against us.
“This memory (of 2012) stays with me even now – a very sad day for me and my Barca teammates. It was frustrating.
“We can definitely take it as inspiration. That’s the truth. The reality is it’s not impossible for us.
“It’s possible to beat Barcelona and go through to the next round. It’s difficult because they’re a great, big team but not impossible.”
Even so, the prospect of facing them has still given Blues boss Antonio Conte sleepless nights.
He said: “It was a bit difficult to sleep, to sleep well. When you have to play this type of game you have to prepare everything – big things but the smaller details too.
“We have a plan in our heads. It’s very important to pick the players at the top of their form then try to do our best to win.
“We start this game as underdogs but must be excited to play this challenge.
“We have to play a perfect game if we want to win. On paper you start these two games with one favourite and this is Barcelona.
“They earned the right to be the favourites this season for what they have been doing for many years.”
Conte experimented using Eden Hazard as a false nine in training with Willian and Pedro behind, which would see Olivier Giroud and Alvaro Morata benched.
He added: “In every game Barcelona are able to create many chances so we must be ready to suffer without the ball, be compact and not lose our heads.”