Not a great night for Arsenal fans but a great match for the neutral. Arsenal had several key men missing for the trip including Arshavin, Fabregas, Gallas, Song and Campbell. Barcelona also had 2 key defenders missing Pique and Puyol who were both suspended.
Arsenal needed to get a good start but, with Barca having the home support they did not get a good start. Barcelona started lively and Messi had a couple of shots from outside the box but could not find the net.
Arsenal then had a chance and Bendtner managed to make it 1-0 and 3-2 on aggregate. Diaby slipped a lovely ball through to Walcott who then managed to find Bendtner but his first shot was saved. He then managed to get the ball in on the second attempt.
Barcelona knew they needed something special to get back into the tie and they did. Two minutes after Bendtner had made it 1-0, Messi scored a great goal from just outside the box. It happened after Silvestre made a hash of a clearence and passed it straight to Messi who blasted the ball home.
Barcelona were dominating the game and Messi got another chance to run at Silvestre but he fired his shot into the side netting.
A few minutes later Messi made it 2-1. Abidal crossed from the left and found Pedro who passed to Messi. Clichy could not get close to him and he fired into the back of the net for his second of the night.
Barcelona were dominating and Arsenal could not get the ball and without their two strongest defenders Gallas and Campbell, Messi went on and scored his third. Keita headed the ball past the Arsenal defence to Messi who went through and chipped the ball over Almunia to make it 3-1.
The score at half time was 3-1 and 5-3 on aggregate to Barca.
Barcelona continued to dominate in the second half and Pedro got a great chance to make it 4-1 when Messi took a quick free kick through to him but he chipped the ball over and wide of Almunia. The score remained 3-1.
Arsenal had a great chance for once but Bendtner was offside after Clichy had delivered a great ball to him but he hit the post anyway.
It already looked like an impos
sible task but when Barcelona made it 4-1 Arsenal's European dreams were over. Messi went through and then on the second attempt he slotted it through Almunia's legs. 6-3 on aggregate.Arsenal were completly dominated by Barca and Messi leaving questions for Arsene about his defence and goal keeper.
The final score on the night was 4-1 and 6-3 on aggregate.
My man of the match: Messi
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