Barcelona sealed their place in the Champions League quarter-finals after a 3-1 win over Arsenal on Wednesday
Barcelona 3-1 Arsenal (5-1 agg): Luis Suarez hits stunning volley as the Gunners are sent crashing out of the Champions League
- Barcelona sealed their place in the Champions League quarter-finals after a 3-1 win over Arsenal on Wednesday
- Neymar opened the scoring for Luis Enrique's side with a cool finish after being played through by Luis Suarez
- Mohamed Elneny equalised for Arsenal with a stunning finish from outside the box to hand the Gunners a lifeline
- Uruguayan Suarez restored Barcelona's lead on the night with a thunderous volley that flew into the top corner
- Lionel Messi added a third late in the game as the Argentine chipped over David Ospina with a brilliant finish
Arsene Wenger’s team bristled briefly with rare purpose and then Luis Suarez restored order in acrobatic style, twisting in mid-air to turn a volley into the top corner. Lionel Messi added a third, to give the aggregate score a five-goal gloss.
And that was that, Arsenal are out of the Champions League in the first knock-out round for the sixth successive year.
Lionel Messi capped the win with a trademark dink over David Ospina to put the gloss on the result as Barcelona progressed
The Argentine lifts the ball over the Arsenal goalkeeper to make it 5-1 on aggregate as Barca confirmed their place in the last eight
Luis Suarez showed incredible agility as he volleyed Dani Alves' cross into the top corner to give Barcelona a 2-1 lead on the night
Suarez performs his customary celebration after firing Barcelona back ahead as the European champions reached the last eight
Mohamed Elneny fired Arsenal level with a stunning curling effort from outside the penalty area to offer the Gunners hope
The Egyptian midfielder celebrates his first goal for Arsenal as Arsene Wenger's side attempted to pull of an unlikely turnaround
Brazil forward Neymar put the home side ahead after 18 minutes as he fired past Ospina with his left foot ahead of Hector Bellerin
Neymar guided the finish past the Gunners goalkeeper after collecting the measured through pass from Luis Suarez (not pictured)
Neymar celebrates with Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi after giving the Catalan giants the lead at the Nou Camp
And, depressingly, as in so many of those previous campaigns, the demise was set by immature mistakes made in the first-leg and they only flickered into life when the tie was out of reach. It has become a damning trademark of Wenger’s team.
Much of the damage against Barcelona was done in the final 20 minutes of the first leg in London, and Neymar stretched the aggregate lead midway through the first-half in the Nou Camp.
Luis Enrique’s side dropped down a gear and eased into the last eight as they attempt to become the first team in the modern era to defend the title. Arsenal are left to salvage something from the Premier League campaign, with 11 points to make up on Leicester, starting at Everton on Saturday.
Wenger may have had Goodison Park in mind when he filled in the team-sheet, making six changes to the team beaten by Watford in the FA Cup. Others a reaction to poor form and the threat posed by Barcelona. There were also six changes to the team which started the first leg of the tie.
Alex Iwobi was given the nod ahead of Theo Walcott and Joel Campbell. It was only a sixth start for the 19-year-old Nigerian, and his first in the Champions League. Iwobi has never started in the Premier League.
Danny Welbeck started up front and Mathieu Flamini, who conceded a penalty within seconds of coming on in the first leg, was preferred in midfield to Francis Coquelin. Laurent Koscielny returned after injury with Per Mertesacker on the bench as Wenger went for his most mobile central defenders.
Barcelona took command of possession, slicking passes across the slippery surface, but it was Mesut Ozil who had the game’s first real effort at goal. Having won the ball in midfield, Ozil carried it unchallenged the edge of the penalty box, worked it onto his left foot and flashed a shot narrowly wide.
Barcelona star Messi heads out the tunnel at the Nou Camp accompanied by a mascot ahead of the game
Messi and Mesut Ozil shake hands ahead of kick-off in the second leg of the Champions League last-16 clash at the Nou Camp
Danny Welbeck (centre) latched on to Ozil's early through pass but scuffed his shot wide as Arsenal made a bright start
Arsenal centre back Gabriel (left) takes control of the situation as Luis Suarez attempts to put pressure on the Brazilian defender
Germany international playmaker Ozil carries the ball forward as he looks to set up an opportunity for the visitors
Barcelona manager Luis Enrique watches from the comfort of the dugout as the rain comes down at the Nou Camp
Elneny fizzed another past the same post. It was a reminder that Barcelona will always offer opportunities. They are open at the back. The problem is keeping them quiet at the other end.
David Ospina came to the rescue when Neymar unzipped Arsenal with a long pass to Messi, who pulled it out of the sky with a perfect touch on the outside of his left boot and quickly stabbed the ball at goal. Ospina pushed it over, a reflex save which earned a high-five of respect from Messi.
From the corner, Jeremy Mathieu ought to have scored. The Frenchman was completely unmarked but missed the target with his header.
No matter, the pressure told. Koscielny was pressurised into a mistake, gave the ball away and Suarez slid a pass into the space behind Hector Bellerin where Neymar arrived to convert with little fuss.
It proved to be a testing homecoming for Bellerin, Barcelona born and raised and schooled at the Nou Camp before moving to London at 16. He stuck at the task but was poorly protected by Alexis Sanchez and regularly overloaded by the attacking intent of Barca’s left back Jordi Alba.
Neymar attempts to beat Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielney but the Frenchman stands firm before ushering the Brazilian out of play
Space opened up for Ozil as Arsenal launched a counter attack but the former Real Madrid midfielder could only fire wide of the target
Messi pulled the ball out of the sky with a brilliant touch before volleying an effort from close range but found David Ospina in his way
The Arsenal goalkeeper made himself big and deflected Messi's effort over the bar and out for a Barcelona corner
Messi his powerful strike fly over the bar via the body of Ospina when it looked more likely that the net would bulge
Neymar tucks the finish past Ospina after collecting Suarez's pass in the Arsenal penalty area despite pressure from Bellerin
Barcelona celebrate the opening goal in the background as Arsenal players Welbeck (near) and Bellerin head back to their positions
Flamini was shown a yellow card for flattening Andres Iniesta as frustration boiled over and Gabriel Paulista booked for dissent, apparently complaining to referee Sergei Karasev for failing to award a penalty when Iwobi appeared to trip himself up.
A flurry of Arsenal chances came and went. Mathieu blocked from Elneny and Alexis headed wide from a Bellerin cross. Javier Mascherano produced a terrific tackle to thwart Welbeck.
Wenger replaced Flamini before the break, no doubt concerned about the probability of a second yellow card as he chased shadows around. The French midfielder did not take kindly to the decision, and exchanged words with his manager as he came off the pitch.
He was spotted watching the second half on television in the press conference room.
Sanchez and Ozil wait to restart the game after Arsenal's task became even harder following Neymar's strike
Arsenal forward Alex Iwobi (right) engineered a shooting opportunity for himself in the Barca box but fired over on the volley
Messi (centre) is crowded out by Gabriel (left) and Mohamed Elneny as the Argentine attempted to waltz his way through the defence
Iwobi though he should have had a penalty after Javier Mascherano appeared to clip the Arsenal forward's heels inside the box
Iwobi hit the turf but instantly waved to his feet by the referee who was not interested in awarding a penalty for the visitors
Sanchez (second right) had a brilliant chance to equalise shortly before half-time but headed wide of the post
A concerned looking Wenger watches on from the touchline as he attempts plots a way back into the tie
On went Coquelin and the deficit was reduced soon after the interval when Sanchez found Elneny and he curled in his first Arsenal goal from 20 yards. It was reward for a good spell by Wenger’s team. It lifted the travelling fans in the top tier and added urgency to the game.
Barcelona were forced from their slumber. Ospina saved low from Messi, who also went close with a half-volley from distance.
The Spanish champions tried to pick intricate pathways through a crowded penalty area to Arsenal’s goal, but remained vulnerable on the counter-attack. Mascherano made another crucial block, again to thwart Welbeck. Sanchez, short of top form since a hamstring injury, became more influential.
The Suarez goal checked their ambition. Welbeck hit the outside of a post from a tight angle, Marc-Andre ter Stegen kept out a free-kick from Sanchez and blocked the rebound from Giroud.
Messi chipped in the third in the closing minutes. Barcelona roll on. Arsenal crash out. They have won only one of the last eight.
Elneny, a January signing from Basle, places the ball with the inside of his right foot to draw Arsenal level at the Nou Camp
Elneny's precise shot beats Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen and flies into the top corner
Arsenal goalkeeper Ospina watches on helplessly as Suarez's volley rifles into the top corner to give the Colombian no chance
Suarez leads the celebration as the former Liverpool striker is joined by Barcelona team-mate Jordi Alba (right)
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