How Barcelona did that magical escape? Expected Escape!

Barcelona created history yet again, coming back to win a tie in the Champions League after beaten 2-0 away from home. Camp Nou witnessed a come back never seen before, and how did it happen? It happened due to Barcelona being Barcelona and having a certain some one: The Magician Messi. More after the jump!

It could not have started more perfectly than it did for Barcelona. 5 minutes into the game and Lionel Messi showed why he is undoubtedly the best player in the world, perhaps the best ever. That touch, that finish, that class is Messi personified. I already discussed what Barcelona need to do here. 

Well, they did exactly that. Iniesta and Xavi played together and Sergio Busquets provided ample cover and calm to the midfield to break play and initiate instant attacks, something that was missing from Barcelona, they did pass it like they usually do but this time the passes were more attack-oriented than possession-oriented. Lionel Messi took it on himself to get rid of the tag "disappears in big games".

 He not only produced two world class strikes, sumptuous, brilliant, magical strikes, he came deep to defend, regain possession and was on-hand to keep the attack flowing whenever Milan tried to press. Dani Alves, a disappointment in the first half as he saw more of the ball than Xavi and Iniesta but could not muster up a single decent cross that would find his team mates well positioned to bury the tie in the first half. 

Plan B involved having David Villa start and it could have paid off a lot earlier than it actually did, with Milan focussed on Messi, Villa was always making runs in behind the defense, and would finally be found and that curler displayed that he is still far from finished. Why did no team really tried to force a loan move for him in January is beyond me. He is world-class.

AC Milan did nothing that I hoped they would. I wrote some points for them, they did get their chances, and they squandered every single one of them. Sharaawy and Niang displayed that they are still very young and have a lot to learn; both physically and mentally as both were unable to hold on to the ball, make decent decisions with it or in the case of the former find the back of the net when being 1-on-1 with the goal keeper.

A poor game for the forwards, and a poor game from the veteran and captain Ambrosini as well. He looked rattled the moment Messi scored the first, and it never looked like was going to regain control, the young lot looked up at him, saw him dejected, and the whole mood dived in the Milan camp. He had to produce a veteran's performance which he unfortunately could not. 

Barcelona would be so high in confidence that any team that gets drawn against them would be fearing for the worse.

Have your say about Barcleona's chances on winning this season's Champions League!