Barcelona and Juventus reach Champions League quarterfinals

Sport

Lionel Messi set up Ivan Rakitic’s goal in the 31st minute, and Barcelona defeated Manchester City 1-0 Wednesday night for a 3-1 aggregate win to reach the Champions League quarterfinals for a record eighth consecutive season.

In the night’s other match, Carlos Tevez scored twice and set up a goal in Juventus’ 3-0 win at Borussia Dortmund that completed a 5-1 aggregate victory.

Defending champion Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Monaco and Porto also are in Friday’s quarterfinals draw. The final eight includes three teams from Spain for the third straight year.

After having a quarterfinalist each year from 1997-2012, England has none for the second time in three seasons.

Barcelona outshot City 23-14, including 11-4 on target. Neymar and Luis Suarez hit the goal frame in the first half, and City goalkeeper Joe Hart denied Messi three times and Neymar twice on good scoring chances in the second half.

“It was a great game,” Messi said. “We are confident, important things are ahead for us. I’m enjoying this moment just like the rest of the team.”

City came closest to scoring in the 78th minute, when Sergio Aguero’s penalty kick was saved by Marc-Andre ter Stegen after Gerard Pique fouled Aguero.

Barcelona now turns its focus to Sunday’s home El Clasico against Real Madrid, where it will try to increase its one-point La Liga lead.

City has never advanced beyond the round of 16 and it trails Chelsea by six points in the English Premier League with nine games left.

“I don’t feel it as a failure, I feel it as a disappointment,” City manager Manuel Pellegrini said. “It’s frustrating. But Barcelona is the better team.

“When Messi had the ball, there was complete chaos on the pitch.”

At Dortmund, Tevez scored from 20 yards in the third minute, gave Alvaro Morata a simple tap-in on a counterattack in the 70th and was set up by Arturo Vidal for his second goal in the 79th. Dortmund dropped to 0-4 in European games against Juventus.

 

AP

Maher Taki

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