In Spain, the referee’s performance robbed the headlines. Lionel Messi scored a brace from the spot and Andres Iniesta added a third to kill off Milan’s hopes. Barcelona dominated the contest from start to finish as the Italians defended nervously.
They got trapped in the box after only 11 minutes of play. Messi was apparently too energetic for Luca Antonini to control. The referee did not hesitate and pointed right to the spot and La Pulga made no mistake sending Barcelona in front. The Rossoneri went level inside the 32nd minute of the match through Nocerino.
However, a questionable decision from the referee helped Barcelona head into the dressing room with a 2-1 advantage. Andres Iniesta wrapped things up early in the second period, forcing Milan to bow out of the competition.
Video highlights and statistics of Barcelona 3-1 AC Milan available here.
At the Allianz Arena, Bayern Munich rounded up a 4-0 aggregate triumph over Olympique Marseille. Midfielder Ribery is already looking forward to meeting Real Madrid in the semis although Los Blancos are yet to play their return leg game against APOEL. Sky quoted the Frenchman as saying:
“I think we'll face Real Madrid in the semis and that's super for us. We're currently playing very well. Real are a big club and I hope that there will be two good games for us.”
Video highlights and match statistics of Bayern Munich 2-0 Olympique Marseille available here.
The attention switches on Wednesday night’s Champions League battles. Chelsea have a great advantage following their 1-0 triumph at the Estadio da Luz last week. Benfica are giants in Portugal but they enter this second leg Champions League fixture with much pressure.
Stamford Bridge is a frightening venue for any visitor. The Blues haven’t lost on home soil in all competitions since the beginning of the year 2012. The last time they encountered defeat at the Bridge was on December 31 last year when Aston Villa recorded a surprising 3-
1 win.
Coincidentally, Chelsea are fresh from a convincing 4-2 victory over the Villains at the weekend. After successful trips to Lisbon and to Villa Park during the last 10 days, the Blues are hoping to return to the Bridge with an improved performance compared to the one which saw them stumble to a goalless draw against Spurs in the English Premier League.
Only a single goal separates Chelsea from Benfica right now. Defender Luisao has not ruled out the Eagle’s chances of shocking the Blues at the famous Stamford Bridge stadium. According to Goal.com, the Brazilian player declared:
“Even though Chelsea have a slight advantage because of the goal, I insist that the tie is still wide open and that we can progress to the semi-finals of the Champions League.
“The key will be taking the lead. If we go 1-0 up, I am sure the nerves will set in at Stamford Bridge and that would be positive for us.
“In London we need to be strong at the back, to control the ball and have more luck in attack than we did at home. I know it is difficult but it is possible and we will go there with that faith.”
Chelsea can certainly not count themselves as in or out of the UEFA Champions League just yet. For Real Madrid, however, the situation looks straightforward. It is almost impossible to predict an exit for Los Blancos in the quarter-finals of the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League.
APOEL Nicosia do not look potentially dangerous anymore following the cruel 3-0 loss they suffered in Cyprus last week. To progress, the battered underdogs would need a 3-0 margin win at the Santiago Bernabeu. Only few, if no-one, might see a Real Madrid exit happen.
Do not miss Chelsea vs Benfica and Real Madrid vs APOEL. Get live streaming and TV schedule info for these two matches. Video highlights and match statistics will also be available.
