Record man Messi rolls over Milan
IF Chelsea were starting to believe this would be the year when all that rotten luck in the Champions League would even itself out, think again.
Barcelona are waiting should the Blues complete their victory over Benfica tonight and look irresistibly slick with Lionel Messi toppling records with every swish of his magical left foot and the big decisions still going their way. There was more fuel for the conspiracy theorists in the Nou Camp last night as two Messi penalties, the second angrily disputed by AC Milan, helped them into the last four. If it is Chelsea they meet, prepare for the uncorking of further controversies, three years after the legend of referee Tom Henning Ovrebo was born on a turbulent night at Stamford Bridge.
Barca manager Pep Guardiola said: ‘Chelsea give the impression that now in the final stages of the competition their important players will respond. They are hugely experienced.’
Guardiola is attempting to become the first manager to successfully defend the trophy in the modern era at a time when Barca watchers suspect he may be ready for a break from the unique pressure of this club.
He certainly looks a little weary, perhaps a by-product of life at war with chief of the conspiracy theorists, Jose Mourinho.
If Mourinho really is heading to England, here is one more reason for Guardiola to decline any offers from Roman Abramovich.
A more pertinent reason is his wonderful team. Who can blame officials seduced by Barca’s charms? Everyone else is. And who could possibly volunteer to turn their back on them? Their formation is so fluent and their philosophy so positive that right back Daniel Alves is regularly the most advanced player.
More specifically, this is where Messi is. He was not at his best but the Argentine with football’s fastest feet and an even faster thought process scored twice to take his Barcelona goal tally for the season to 58 and equal the record of 14 goals in a single European Cup campaign, set by Jose Altafini of Milan in 1962-63.
Messi won the first penalty on his own to break the deadlock. He pinched the ball from Philippe Mexes and sped into the penalty box. With only keeper Christian Abbiati to beat, he opted to cut a pass towards Xavi and dragged it a fraction off target.
The chance seemed to have vanished but Milan dithered and Messi pounced again, stealing possession from Luca Antonini and drawing the foul as the defender lunged to recover. Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers pointed to the spot and Messi converted to Abbiati’s right.
Antonio Nocerino levelled after a sweet turn from Robinho and magnificent vision and execution from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, otherwise subdued on his return to the Nou Camp, but Messi had neatly tucked his second penalty into the opposite corner before half-time.
This was the one that incensed the visitors, although Alessandro Nesta clearly pulled the shirt of Sergio Busquets. Nesta was grabbing at Busquets in an effort to stay close to his man as Carles Puyol tried to block the Milan defender and free his team-mate.
Puyol had employed the same tactic at earlier set- plays, but Nesta’s crime was to get caught.
Milan’s complaints went on as the teams filed down the tunnel at halftime but when the visitors appealed for a penalty in the second half for a trip on Robinho, referee Kuipers remained unmoved.
Nesta’s night got worse when he blocked a shot from Messi only for the ball to spill perfectly to Andres Iniesta, who applied a clinical finish which would complete the scoring.
Milan only became more frustrated. They ended the game with seven yellow cards, and although there was a rare sighting of Alberto Aquilani, there was also the sad sight of Alexandre Pato hobbling off injured 14 minutes after coming on.
So the champions progress into the last four for the fifth successive year to equal the record set by Real Madrid in the Fifties. Who would want to bump into them on the road to Munich?
m.barlow@dailymail.co.uk