BARCELONA (AFP) - Lionel Messi pounced on two Manchester United mistakes to score twice and end their hopes of another Camp Nou comeback as Barcelona breezed into the Champions League semi-finals on Tuesday (April 16).
After an excellent start, United were undone twice in four minutes by Messi, who first nicked the ball off the careless Ashley Young and then watched as a weak shot from distance squirmed underneath David de Gea.
Philippe Coutinho, in perhaps his best performance of the season, added a third with a curling effort into the top corner and by the end, an outclassed United might have been relieved the score was not more traumatic than 3-0, 4-0 on aggregate.
A dizzying opening spell, in which Marcus Rashford had hit the crossbar, was long-forgotten, even if it could offer Barcelona's next opponents some encouragement.
Liverpool, who take a 2-0 lead to Porto on Wednesday, are the most likely obstacle between Barca and their first Champions League final since they last won this tournament in 2015. Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane might feel encouraged.
Instead, United's pair of early errors made this another night about Messi and ensured any faint hopes of repeating the comeback against Paris Saint-Germain, or even the famous 1999 rescue act against Bayern Munich, on this same pitch, were dashed.
Messi now has his 109th and 110th Champions League goals and, potentially, three extra matches to reduce the gap on Cristiano Ronaldo's 126, after Juventus were dumped out by Ajax. Barcelona's fans celebrated that too.
United's coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had urged his strikers to be more lethal here but it felt ominous that even before kick-off, Rashford, Anthony Martial, Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez had hit 42 goals this season, while Messi on his own had 43.
Around an hour before kick-off, Alex Ferguson was on the side of the pitch, shaking hands with Ryan Giggs and sharing words with Solskjaer, the scorer of that goal against Munich here 20 years ago.
They could have hardly have asked for a better start. United were brilliant for eight minutes and could have been ahead within 30 seconds as Rashford raced onto a curving Paul Pogba pass and toed away a shot, which Marc-Andre ter Stegen bravely left to graze his own crossbar.
Magic MessiÂ
Barca were flustered, so much so the crowd even cheered with relief when Arthur Melo played his team's first convincing pass.
Then, Barcelona had their own eight-minute flurry as United almost conceded a penalty, ruled out after Fred took the ball before bringing down Ivan Rakitic, and then did concede, twice, to Messi.
Both could have been avoided, even if Young's turn on the edge of his own box was punished in devastating fashion. Young lunged in to atone for his mistake but Messi skipped away from him, poked it through Fred's legs and then whipped the ball past into the corner.
The second was simpler. Fred and Scott McTominay closed in on Coutinho and the ball spilled out to Messi, whose dribbling shot with his right foot should have drawn a routine save. Instead, De Gea let is squirm under his body for 2-0.
Pogba lashed out at the increasingly influential Arthur and Barca could have had a third before half-time, De Gea scrambling across to save on the line when Sergi Roberto should have finished.
Messi could have had his hat-trick too after Luis Suarez found him with a superb cutback and there was an almost comical sequence in the second half when the Argentinian played with his United chasers before finally being bundled over by McTominay.
Rashford might have made it interesting if he had controlled Pogba's ball over the top but Barcelona were in exhibition mode, helped by a vintage Coutinho curler after he had cut inside from the left.
Messi even attempted a bicycle kick and there were celebrations from the home fans when news went round that Ajax had taken the lead in Turin. They believe this is their year.
United bank on 'Goal threats', Football News & Top Stories
Neymar will miss both legs of Paris Saint-Germain's upcoming Champions League last-16 tie against Manchester United after the French club confirmed on Wednesday that the world's most expensive
Neymar to miss Man Utd tie after being ruled out for 10 weeks
Eusebio Di Francesco was sacked as Roma coach after the team crashed out of the Champions League, the Italian club confirmed on Thursday, with former boss Claudio Ranieri tipped to replace him. Roma had taken a 2-1 advantage to Porto for the second leg of their last-16 tie on Wednesday but fell 4-3
For an area variance, the property owner must show that the restrictions unreasonably deny a permitted use of the owner's property. For a use variance, the property owner has a more difficult burden to demonstrate that unless granted a variance, he will have no viable use for his property. Neighbors Can Influence the City's Decision
De Blasio Wrestles with Homelessness -- Part Two: Setbacks
Football: Solskjaer makes dream start as Man United thrash
Kevin De Bruyne has been ruled out of Manchester City's derby encounter at Manchester United on Wednesday. Guardiola also said he expects Riyad Mahrez to stay at the Etihad beyond the summer
Pep Guardiola expects Liverpool to bounce back from Barcelona
Sample Messages Box offers you free sample messages and wishes for all occasions. Your one stop destination for example messages,sample text messages, sample email messages and sample wishes.You will find thoughtful sample wordings written from the heart, for everyday occasions, for everyone!
Welcome Messages Examples, Sample Welcome Message on Websites
'World record holder at winning semi-finals' - Klopp laughs off 'unlucky' tag afp.com. 5 days ago. has around 50 more games in his legs with more experience in football."
'World record holder at winning semi-finals' - Klopp laughs
worldsoccertalk.com/2019/05/31/world-record-holder-at-winning-semi-finals-klopp-laughs-off-unlucky-tag/
'World record holder at winning semi-finals' - Klopp laughs off 'unlucky' tag AFP May 31, 2019 AFP No Comments Madrid (AFP) - Jurgen Klopp laughed off suggestions he is an unlucky manager as he looks to halt an unfortunate run of ending up on the losing side in his last six finals as a coach when he leads Liverpool into Saturday's
'World record holder at winning semi-finals' - Klopp laughs
In Summary. Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero will travel with the rest of their squad for their FA Cup semi-final against Brighton and Hove Albion having nearly recovered from a hamstring
Man City's Aguero in frame to face Brighton in FA Cup
'These boys are giants': Klopp salutes Liverpool heroes Klopp's men powered to their second successive Champions League final with a stunning 4-0 win against the Spanish champions in Tuesday
Jurgen Klopp hails Liverpool 'giants' after special night at
Hatem wonder strike secures Qatar upset of South Korea. Qatar's Abdulaziz Hatem scored with a stunning late strike as the 2022 World Cup hosts upset Son Heung-min's South Korea 1-0 to reach the semi-finals of the Asian Cup for the first time on Friday.
Football: Hatem wonder strike secures Qatar upset of South
Football: Messi's motivation spurs on Barcelona, says Rakitic
LONDON (AFP) - Alexis Sanchez came back to haunt Arsenal as the Chilean opened the scoring in Manchester United's 3-1 FA Cup fourth-round win on Friday (Jan 25) to maintain Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's
Watch: Sanchez haunts Arsenal as United maintain perfect
Asian Cup Pressure comes with the territory, warns Japan skipper Maya Yoshida. Yoshida wants his young teammates to take advantage of the opportunity in the UAE to cement themselves in the Japan side.
SOCCER/ Pressure comes with the territory, warns captain Maya
Arsenal's Ramsey to signs €6.5m-per-year deal with Juventus. that a five-year-contract worth €6.5m-per-year with bonuses has been agreed and the possibility of Ramsey moving to Turin
Aaron Ramsey reportedly agrees to five-year, €40m deal with
how to watch uefa champions league live streaming
watch soccer online free streaming live india
watch karnataka premier league live streaming
watch live soccer online free streaming now
watch premier league stream reddit
free live football streams watch live streaming tv premier league
watch champions league live streaming bein sport
watch coppa america live streaming philippines
watch arsenal southampton premier league live stream
watch premier league live streaming online - soccer portal
watch coppa america live streaming online
watch the premier league live stream
watch afghanistan premier league live stream
watch champions league live streaming eng
watch coppa america live streaming rcti
watch coppa america live streaming game
watch soccer live - live football streaming
watch premier league live stream hd
watch coppa america live streaming sctv
watch champions league draw live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming australia
watch coppa america live streaming in india
watch soccer online free live streaming hd
watch champions league live streaming vf
watch soccer live streaming zee tv
watch soccer live streaming xbox
watch soccer online free streaming live english
watch champions league live streaming bt sport
soccer tv live football streaming garuda select
watch soccer live stream hunter
watch soccer online free streaming live liverpool
watch champions league draw live streaming free
watch coppa america live streaming qatar
watch soccer online free streaming live cricfree
how to watch soccer live streaming free
watch everton vs tottenham live soccer streaming
watch soccer world cup live streaming
watch soccer live streaming kenya
watch soccer online free streaming live dracula
live football watch free live football streaming free soccer
watch coppa america live streaming english
watch champions league live streaming juventus
watch coppa america live streaming portugal
watch champions league draw live stream total sportek
watch premier league net live stream channel
watch soccer online free streaming live p2p
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online
super soccer tv live streaming garuda select
watch premier league live streaming xbox one
watch coppa america live streaming canada
watch coppa america live streaming world
watch coppa america live streaming uk
watch champions league live streaming putlockers
how to watch premier league live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming reddit
watch coppa america live streaming mexico
watch soccer game live espn
watch coppa america live streaming app
watch soccer online free streaming live without registration
watch barclays premier league live streaming online free
watch premier league live streaming yify
super soccer tv live streaming persib
watch live premier league football streaming online for free
watch coppa america live streaming hd
where to watch free live soccer streaming online
live ipl live streaming- watch indian premier league 2013 online
watch uefa champions league draw live streaming youtube
watch coppa america live streaming zee5
watch champions league live streaming mobile
watch champions league live streaming xbox one
watch soccer games live stream free app
watch soccer aid live stream online
watch coppa america live streaming free online
watch live soccer game barcelona vs real madrid
watch hd soccer live streaming free
watch english premier league live streaming online
watch coppa america live streaming total sportek
watch premier league live streaming zee tv
watch champions league live streaming crictime
watch premier league live stream reddit
watch champions league final live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming online free
www.watch premier league live stream.com
watch coppa america live streaming juventus
watch soccer online free streaming live bbc
watch soccer online free streaming live south africa
watch soccer saturday live stream
watch champions league live streaming ptv sports
watch champions league live streaming cricfree
watch indian premier league live stream online
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming
best site to watch live soccer streaming
watch sky sports premier league live stream
watch champions league live streaming match
watch coppa america live streaming indosiar
watch coppa america live streaming hotstar
watch premier league live streaming quality
watch premier league live in stream
watch champions league live streaming now free
watch coppa america live streaming vf
watch live streaming soccer games
watch soccer online free streaming live uk
watch coppa america live streaming quality
watch soccer live streaming mobile
watch coppa america live streaming crictime
watch soccer live streaming qatar vs philippines
watch premier league live streaming qatar
#Barca #elcasico #beatifulgame #leicestercity #visubal #BMW #petercrouch #ballondor #footballmemes #mensnightout #vandijk #fut #cappucino #afcnews #panini #crossfit #PartyTime #coys #risate #liverpoolcity #neymar #liverpool #chocolatecoffee #Barcelona #goodday #nationsleague #hoffenhiem #chocolate #bestshishacafedubai #arsenal #bundesliga #tokyo #commentimemorabili #league1 #soccer #freekicks #realmadrid #knuckleball #Fcb #nutmeg #champion #gooners #copaamerica #zinedinezidane #football #manunited #fcbarcelona #oasisofficial #footballfans #cr7 #kopisusu #premierleague #myfootballuniverse #adidasslipon #comico #calciatoribrutti #Vip45 #ucl #golazo #bayervshoffenheim #Celtic #romania #manchestercity #winner #soccermemes #oasisengland #coyg #frasirap #livestreams #footballschedule #hotcoffee #ignoranza #goal #firmino #salah #sumbertv #frasitrap #GarageCafeDxb #lionelmessi #jadwalbolahariini #oudmehta #liverpoolfans #oasis #realmadrid #manchesterunited #londoncity #portsmouthfc #mancity #ronaldo #conference #noelgallagher #soccerbible #433skills #livesports #alissonbecker #coffeebreak #sunderlandafc #girlsniteout #footballdubai
0 comments:
Post a Comment