Arsenal 0-2 Barcelona: Five Talking Points

Arsenal face an uphill task at the Camp NouVisitors Barcelona defeated Arsenal 0-2 in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League round-of-16 clash at the Emirates. In what was a scintillating encounter, the Gunners were undone by the dazzling attacking trio of the mighty Catalans.Both teams had their chances but not one went in until Lionel Messi broke the deadlock in the 71st minute. The goal came from a brilliant counter-attack in which Luis Suarez, Neymar and Lionel Messi all played their part. Only 12 minutes later, Arsenal substitute Mathieu Flamini ended up fouling Messi inside the box and the referee awarded a spot-kick to the visitors. Messi took it and immediately doubled the lead. Here are the talking points from the game at the Emirates: 

#1 Messi makes the difference

Messi did the damage for Barcelona

Once again, it was none other than the Argentine magician who made the difference. Lionel Messi stepped up when his team needed him the most and proved to be the kryptonite to Arsenal's defence yet once again, as he has been on many occasions in the past. He scored two goals in quick succession to help Barcelona go into the second leg with a massive advantage.

With many chances having been wasted by both sides, the game seemed to be going into a deadlock when the Messi delivered the finishing blow from a well-orchestrated counter-attack by the Catalans. This goal also meant that Messi finally has a goal past Petr Cech! Only a few minutes later he was fouled in the box and stepped up to take the awarded spot-kick.

 

Despite having had problems with converting penalties in the last few months, he tucked this one in confidently, proving himself to be the final nail in the coffin for the London side.