Lionel Messi is used to receiving compliments for his performance all the time, just like it happened
“He saved everything. We had a lot of clear chances, but the keeper had a brilliant game,” Messi said.
Messi believes that the score could have been worst for Manuel Pellegrini’s team if it wasn’t for Hart’s solid performance. A 1-0 in the second leg does not do justice to the amount of opportunities missed by Barcelona.
Neymar could not get past the English goalkeeper
“We can only congratulate him, but the important thing is we achieved our objective to get through,” Messi claimed.
The four-time Ballon d’Or winner was not the only one who praised Hart’s performance. The English goalkeeper also astonished Barcelona’s coach Luis Enrique.
“The score would have been a rout. Hart was incredible,” Enrique said. “We deserved to win by a bigger goal difference.”
Rakitic's shot in the first half was the only thing Hart couldn't stop
Hart’s astonishing night included 10 saves and was only shadowed by Ivan Rakitic’s goal in the 31st minute of the first half. Former Barcelona striker Gary Lineker tweeted about the 27-year-old's brilliant night at Camp Nou.
Lineker felt Hart saved his team from disaster
But for a truly astonishing display of goalkeeping from Joe Hart, our Premier League champions would be going home humiliated.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) marzo 18, 2015
Hart felt he did everything he could to keep his team with a chance of at least winning the game. He also felt Barcelona was a better team throughout the series.
“I had a lot to do with it, but I wanted it to count,” Hart said at the end of the game.
