Viktoria Plzeň 4-0 FC Barcelona (Matchday 4 Group Stage UEFA Champions League 2011/2012)

Lionel Messi netted his 200th goal for Barcelona during a 4-0 win over Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Messi's landmark strike was his first goal in a hat-trick scored at the home of the Czech champions.

The Argentine's goals helped his side move two points clear at the top of Group H, as second-placed AC Milan could only draw 1-1 with BATE Borisov.

Plzen started the match full of running and tried to take the game to their illustrious opposition at the Synot Tip Arena.

Milan Petrzela burst through a static Barca back line only to be thwarted by goalkeeper Victor Valdes, who produced a strong left-handed save to stop the hosts from taking a surprise early lead.

Daniel Kolar then wasted another chance, blazing a half-volley high and wide after being found in space inside the box.

But Plzen's encouraging start came to nothing, and they found themselves behind after 10 minutes when Messi had his legs taken away from him by Marian Cisovsky inside the box.

The livewire forward picked himself up to score from the spot, and Cisovsky was shown a red card for the foul.

The away side began to toy with their opponents, exploiting the gaps created by Cisovsky's dismissal.

Two minutes into first-half injury time, Messi played a delightful one-two with Adriano before sliding his finish past Roman Pavlik in the Plzen goal.

Cesc Fabregas made it 3-0 on 71 minutes with a headed effort, getting on the end of Isaac Cuenca's perfectly-weighted cross.

Messi then completed his hat-trick, adding gloss to the score-line with a well-taken finish after rounding Pavlik in stoppage time.

Also on Tuesday, AC Milan gave up the lead to draw 1-1 away to Belarusian side BATE.

Milan opened the scoring 22 minutes into the match at the Horodskiy Stadium.

Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic disposed defender Marko Simic and played the ball to strike-partner Robinho, before receiving the return pass and finding the back of the net.

Milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati was forced into two good saves from BATE forward Maksim Skavysh following swift counter-attacks by the home side.

Robinho should have extended the lead when he hit the post just before the break, and the Serie A champions were left to rue that missed opportunity when Ignazio Abate fouled Artyom Kontsevoi inside the box 10 minutes into the second half.

Renan Bressan scored from the spot to make it 1-1.

Kevin-Prince Boateng had a chance to snatch victory late on for Milan but BATE survived, claiming a credible point against their heavyweight visitors.

FC Barcelona 2-0 Viktoria Plzeň (Matchday 3 Group Stage UEFA Champions League 2011/2012)

Bate 0-5 FC Barcelona (Matchday 2 Group Stage UEFA Champions League 2011/2012)

Lionel Messi struck twice as FC Barcelona claimed their first away win of the season in some style against FC BATE Borisov.

Josep Guardiola's side had drawn their previous three games on their travels 2-2, but the run never looked likely to continue in this UEFA Champions League Group H fixture. The home side only had themselves to blame for first-half goals from Pedro Rodríguez and Messi after Aleksandr Volodko had put through his own net. They could do nothing about Messi's second of the night, with David Villa salting their wounds at the death.

On Tuesday Filipp Rudik jokingly suggested BATE would just have to "kick the ball out of play and hope for the best" but for much of the opening period the chance would have been a fine thing. The Catalan giants set up camp deep in opposition territory, pitching the ball one way and then the other. Supposedly part of a three-man defence, Éric Abidal and Daniel Alves rarely ventured into their own half.

Alves was at the heart of the opener on 19 minutes as his deep cross was turned in by Volodko, all too aware of the presence of Messi on his shoulder. The BATE right-back was not the only one harbouring culpability by half-time. Three minutes later Villa's teasing cross coaxed Aleksandr Gutor off his line, allowing Pedro to head into an unguarded net as he peeled off Maksim Bordachev with ease.

It got worse seven before the break when Gutor failed to hold a regulation Villa cross and the ball fell to Messi – the No10 rarely needs an invitation. Goalkeeper Gutor said his "soul was singing" after the 2-0 play-off win at SK Sturm Graz that took the Belarusian title holders through to the group stage; it must have sounded like a dirge as he trudged off for half-time in drizzly Minsk.

The mood darkened further 11 minutes after half-time when Messi combined with Alves on the right, superbly cushioning the return pass before lashing into the roof of the net from 15 metres. It was the 24-year-old's 194th competitive goal for the club, joining László Kubala in second on Barcelona's all-time list: only César Rodríguez (235) is ahead. How lone BATE striker Mateja Kežman longed for such service.

He had none, even if the hosts did improve as Barcelona took their foot of the pedal before Villa got on the act after more lax defending late on. There is work to do before BATE travel to AC Milan on 18 October, when Barcelona host FC Viktoria Plzeň.

FC Barcelona 2-2 AC Milan (Matchday 1 Group Stage UEFA Champions League 2011/2012)

AC Milan secured a gutsy 2-2 draw against European champions FC Barcelona thanks to goals in the first and final seconds of an absorbing match in Catalonia.

Pato gave the visitors a dream start when he notched the quickest matchday one goal in UEFA Champions League history, only for Pedro Rodríguez and David Villa, showpiece scorers last term, to reply either side of half-time. After a Lionel Messi masterclass it looked as if Josep Guardiola's side would top Group H, only for Thiago Silva's added-time header to restrict them to a point.

Milan's opener, after 25 seconds, was a mixture of audacity, vision and power. Pato swivelled in midfield and spotted that centre-backs Javier Mascherano and Sergio Busquets were holding a high line. His explosive burst between them left the pair in his wake. Pato then dealt with Víctor Valdés, celebrated for his one-on-one saves, by calmly slotting under the advancing keeper. A marvellous way to inaugurate the new season.

It was immediately clear that Massimilliano Allegri had ordered Pato to unleash his pace with Barcelona club captain Carles Puyol starting on the bench. The striker continued to cause trouble until Guardiola placed Éric Abidal on man-marking duties. With ten minutes gone, the hosts had reasserted themselves.

Messi began his personal vendetta against the shock scoreline by forcing Christian Abbiati's first save. For the next 24 minutes it was, simply, the Messi show. His follow-up was a free-kick cracked off Abbiati's left-hand post and just before the half-hour the keeper needed a strong hand to block the Argentinian's low shot. Then again; the breakthrough was imminent.

Barcelona's mercurial No10 was, inevitably, at the heart of it, leaving Mark van Bommel, Alessandro Nesta and Ignazio Abate standing with a searing burst of pace before squaring for Pedro to tap in the equaliser. Both sides made enforced changes before the break – Massimo Ambrosini for Kevin-Prince Boateng and Cesc Fàbregas for Andrés Iniesta.

Within five minutes of the restart Barcelona underlined their champion credentials. From 30 metres Villa hammered a free-kick into Abbiati's top right corner to make it 2-1. The goal brought further Barça possession, but no reward as Milan drew on every shred of experience to stay in the match – harassing, pressing and sniffing openings. Two minutes into added time Clarence Seedorf's corner created one and Thiago emphatically pounced.

Gallery FC Barcelona as Winner UEFA Champions League 2010/2011

Finals
UEFA Champions League 2010 / 2011

FC Barcelona as Winner
UEFA Champions League 2010/2011

28 May 2011

Finals UEFA Champions League 2010 / 2011
28 May 2011
FC Barcelona 3 - 1 Manchester United

FC Barcelona 3-1 Manchester United (Finals UEFA Champions League 2010/2011)

Second-half goals from Lionel Messi and David Villa ended United's challenge at Wembley and earned a fourth European title for Barça.

Just as in 1992, Wembley provided the setting for a Catalan celebration as FC Barcelona turned on the style to beat Manchester United FC 3-1 and claim their fourth European crown. Barcelona were worthy winners, taking the lead through Pedro Rodríguez and responding to Wayne Rooney’s equaliser with two superb second-half strikes from Lionel Messi and David Villa.

If Barcelona’s triumph at the old Wembley broke down a barrier, this underlined the Spanish titleholders’ status as the continent’s dominant force, this third UEFA Champions League in six seasons conferring the stamp of greatness on Josep Guardiola’s side. For United, this was a sorry repeat of their Rome defeat by Barcelona two years ago. There were dancers with umbrellas on the pitch in the opening ceremony and even the simulated sounds of a storm but it was on the pitch that lightning eventually struck twice.

For a short while, it looked like things might turn out differently for the English champions. Sir Alex selected an attacking formation, resisting the temptation to pack his midfield and instead fielding both Javier Hernández and Rooney in attack. His team raced out of the starting blocks, pushing up and aiming to deny Barcelona the time and space to find their stride, and briefly the ploy worked. Barcelona looked edgy as Hernández hustled a defender into losing the ball on the edge of his area; Javier Mascherano, starting in central defence in place of Carles Puyol then failed to deal with Edwin van der Sar’s punt down the middle, forcing Valdés into urgent action to deny Rooney.

Inevitably, though, Barcelona clicked into gear, and they fashioned the first clear opening on the quarter-hour as Xavi Hernández drove in a low cross that Pedro, drifting free of Fabio, turned wide. Barcelona soon had United pinned back as more chances came. Villa flashed a shot narrowly wide before forcing a low save out of Edwin van der Sar. A superb Nemanja Vidić challenge then foiled Messi but, in the 27th minute, United were undone.

Xavi was the architect, advancing into United territory and picking out Pedro with a diagonal pass. The winger’s movement had carried him clear of Vidić on the right side of the box and he applied a cool finish, sidefooting the ball into the near corner with Van der Sar wrongfooted.

Amid the many predictions about this contest the general consensus seemed to be that United needed the first goal. Yet they responded seven minutes later with a fine equaliser, their first attempt on target. After Barcelona had lost the ball from an Abidal throw-in, Rooney surged forward on a one-two with Michael Carrick. He then slipped a pass to Ryan Giggs inside the box and met the Welshman’s return ball with a superb curled finish into the far corner.

Sir Alex Ferguson had predicted “the final of the decade” and an absorbing first half almost produced another goal when Messi drove forward and after feeding Pedro on the right, was just a whisker away from meeting the return.

United’s respite was short-lived as Barcelona resumed their control after the restart. Although Van der Sar saved from Daniel Alves, Messi restored their lead after 54 minutes. Collecting a pass from Messi, the Argentinian cut inside Patrice Evra and punished Vidić’s failure to close him down by sweeping the ball past Van der Sar from 20 metres. Messi’s subsequent explosion of emotion showed just what the goal – his first on English soil but 12th in this season’s competition – meant.

The little magician could have had more goals as Barcelona went for the kill. Van der Sar denied him with his legs before Fabio denied his back-heeled effort with a goalline block. Van der Sar, on his final appearance, offered a fitting reminder of his class with a full-length dive to foil Xavi but he had no chance with Villa’s third goal after 69 minutes. Although United stopped Messi’s surge into the box, substitute Nani lost out to Sergio Busquets who teed up the Spain striker to curl an exquisite finish into the top corner.

Real Madrid 0-2 FC Barcelona (1st Leg Semi Finals UEFA Champions League 2010/2011)

FC Barcelona took a giant stride towards a second UEFA Champions League final in three seasons after Lionel Messi struck twice in the final 15 minutes, the second a memorable solo strike, to earn victory at ten-man Real Madrid CF.

The third game between these eternal rivals in less than a fortnight proved just as intense as the first two, the balance tipping decisively in Barça's favour a minute past the hour when Pepe's dismissal left Madrid a man short. Messi made them pay with two late goals, touching in a low cross from substitute Ibrahim Afellay to break the deadlock and then slaloming his way past four players to score a second that leaves Madrid with it all to do at the Camp Nou on Tuesday.

Despite Saturday's 6-3 win at Valencia CF, coach José Mourinho opted to revert to the more defensive tactics that brought Madrid a 1-1 Liga draw and a Copa del Rey triumph against Barça in the first two instalments of this four-part contest. Xavi Hernández and Cristiano Ronaldo warmed the gloves of Iker Casillas and Víctor Valdés respectively early on but it was the visitors who took control as they sought to break through a stubborn Madrid rearguard.

With ten minutes on the clock, David Villa – who ended an eleven-game scoreless streak against CA Osasuna at the weekend – came close to finding the net again after stealing in from the right to send a shot flying just past Casillas's far post from the edge of the area. Josep Guardiola's side fashioned another opening through the middle with half-time approaching, Messi squeezing past the combined challenge of Xabi Alonso and Raúl Albiol before slipping a low pass through for Xavi whose shot was parried by Casillas.

As the teams went off for the break, Barcelona's reserve goalkeeper José Pinto was sent off following an incident involving a number of players from both sides. Mourinho introduced Emmanuel Adebayor at the restart and immediately Madrid's attack looked more muscular, Ronaldo going close from an Alonso free-kick before firing over from a set piece of his own.

Madrid's momentum was checked in the 61st minute when Pepe was shown a red card for a high challenge on Daniel Alves, Mourinho being sent to the stands for his own protests. Barcelona quickly regained the upper hand, Villa bringing the best out of Casillas after cutting in from the left.

Messi then took over, although his first goal owed much to Afellay, the substitute exploiting a Marcelo slip to advance into the penalty area and provide a cross that was steered in at the near post for Messi's tenth goal in this season's competition. The Argentinian needed little help for his 11th three minutes from time, collecting a pass from Sergio Busquets just inside the Madrid half and racing past four defenders before slotting past the exposed Casillas.

In addition to Pepe, Madrid will also be without Sergio Ramos – booked early in the second half – in Barcelona next week. The Catalan club, meanwhile, are within touching distance of another final, possibly a repeat of the 2009 showpiece against Manchester United FC.

Shakhtar Donetsk 0-1 FC Barcelona (2nd Leg Quarter Finals UEFA Champions League 2010/2011)

FC Barcelona are through to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals for the fourth successive season after a 1-0 victory rounded off a 6-1 aggregate triumph.

Shakhtar played valiantly and created a couple of excellent early chances. However, as in the first leg poor finishing was their Achilles heel and once the Spanish visitors had weathered that early storm, Lionel Messi's effortless strike just before half-time sent the visitors through to the last four. They will now meet either Tottenham Hotspur FC or, more likely, arch-rivals Real Madrid CF.

Knowing they had to score at least four times to have any chance of a massive shock, Shakhtar made an express start. A brilliant pass by Jadson put fellow Brazilian Douglas Costa through on goal, but the 20-year-old failed to properly connect with his strike, shooting straight at the advancing Víctor Valdés.

The Barcelona goalkeeper repeated his magnetic trick midway through the half, positioning himself perfectly to receive Jadson's shot on the turn following a pinpoint cross from Vasyl Kobin on his first UEFA Champions League start. Those two close calls sprung Josep Guardiola's team to life and the danger signs were there as left-back Adriano and Messi, who had been well marshalled by Shakhtar's makeshift defence, both went close. Fatally for the hosts, the warning was not heeded.

Two minutes before the interval the mercurial No10 escaped his markers again, cushioning Daniel Alves' ball with time and space on the edge of the penalty area. He ghosted past Yaroslav Rakitskiy's desperate challenge before cooling slotting left-footed beyond the helpless Andriy Pyatov. Messi's ninth UEFA Champions League goal of the season took the Argentina striker to 48 in all competitions this term for Barcelona, surpassing Ronaldo's 1996/97 club record.

With the aggregate result a foregone conclusion the second half felt like a procession as Barcelona were content to sit back and retain possession. Ibrahim Afellay almost doubled the lead on 59 minutes when Messi's incisive run left Mykola Ishchenko and Henrik Mkhitaryan in his wake, before he laid the ball off. The Dutch international's shot was well saved by Pyatov.

Mkhitaryan had a good chance to preserve Shakhtar's unbeaten record in European competition at the Donbass Arena alive with 15 minutes to go, but the Armenian international shot straight at Valdés. There was still time for substitute Marcelo Moreno to produce the miss of the match, somehow failing to convert Mkhitaryan's low cross from less than two metres out.

It summed up Shakhtar's night and first quarter-final tie; for Barcelona it is onwards and upwards, to the familiar ground of the last four.

FC Barcelona 5-1 Shakhtar Donetsk (1st Leg Quarter Finals UEFA Champions League 2010/2011)

FC Barcelona have one foot in the semi-finals, with Real Madrid CF their likely opponents, after soaring to a wonderful 5-1 victory over FC Shakhtar Donetsk that left the visitors ruing a hatful of first-half misses.

Everyone danced to Lionel Messi's beat but the goals carried the signatures of Andrés Iniesta, Daniel Alves, Gerard Piqué, Seydou Keita and Xavi Hernández. Nevertheless, Mircea Lucescu will know the opportunities his side wasted, plus Yaroslav Rakitskiy's second-half goal, meant that until Xavi wrapped things up four minutes from time the tie remained tantalising.

The quarter-final first leg was absorbing from the off. The Ukrainian titleholders were already beginning to move the ball with slick menace when Messi flew off on a trademark dribble. Amid the trail of distruction he left, Iniesta seized possession and finished right-footed past Andriy Pyatov.

There were just two minutes on the clock yet Lucescu's side play with the quick-passing verve of the Spanish champions and reacted with such ferocity that they might have scored three before Barça increased their advantage. Four minutes after Iniesta's breakthrough, Willian cut in from the left and despite the improbable angle forced a brilliant save from Víctor Valdés.

Luiz Adriano then had two one-on-one chances against the overworked home goalkeeper, coming second best on both occasions, before Valdés raced out to clear brilliantly from the Brazilian striker as Alves horribly misplaced a pass. His excellence earned him a bit of luck, too, with Willian volleying just wide of Valdés' vacated goal.

Messi in particular hauled Barcelona back into the game, tirelessly dragging Shakhtar's markers this way and that until Iniesta had time and space to clip a pass which intersected Alves' perfectly timed sprint beyond the offside trap. He controlled on the run and prodded past Pyatov.

The danger, for Barcelona, was that the Pitmen played with blistering pace up front and, missing Carles Puyol and Eric Abidal, Sergio Busquets was tested to the limit at sweeper. However, the hosts emerged after the restart back at full tilt. Messi and David Villa had attempts on goal before Piqué, taking advantage of a well-worked Xavi corner, drove home his second goal in as many games eight minutes in.

His effort took a deflection off Rakitskiy but there was redemption for the Shakhtar defender when he directed in Darijo Srna's free-kick on the hour. Following immediately after the booking of Iniesta, which means he misses the second leg, there was a momentary hush at the Camp Nou. But only a moment. Within 60 seconds Messi's run and glided pass allowed Keita thrash into the top corner to the rapture of the home crowd.

Still Shakhtar responded, Luiz Adriano smashing a shot off Valdés' right-hand post, with the ball bouncing back to the keeper. Messi had a goal ruled offside before Xavi rounded things off, in the process all but ending the slender ambitions of the visitors.

FC Barcelona 3-1 Arsenal (2nd Leg 8th UEFA Champions League 2010/2011)

A controversial red card helped Barcelona through to the last eight of the Champions League after a 3-1 win over Arsenal on Tuesday.

Lionel Messi nabbed his seventh and eighth goals of the tournament and Xavi added another for the Catalan giants, who turned around a surprise 2-1 defeat at the Emirates in their opening leg to clinch the last-16 tie 4-3 over Arsenal.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger will feel aggrieved by Robin van Persie's undeserved sending off after the Dutchman racked up a second caution, but in truth Arsenal were not much for the contest after failing to produce a single shot on target.

The opening period also saw the Gunners lose goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny to a finger injury sustained while collecting a Dani Alves free kick, although replacement custodian Manuel Almunia saved Arsenal from humiliation as Barcelona took a complete hold of the game in the final stages.

Almunia had his hands full immediately after his entrance as Messi threatened often, while David Villa cut back a shot on too tight an angle and Adriano tested out the near post as Barca repeatedly pushed down the left.

Van Persie, frustrated by a lack of opportunities up forward, took umbrage to Barcelona accusations that Jack Wilshere was feigning injury and remonstrated with Eric Abidal, before seeing yellow for shoving his hand in Dani Alves' face.

The incident incited the Camp Nou crowd into song, and they only grew louder as Messi put the hosts ahead with a moment of sheer brilliance.

Gunners captain Cesc Fabregas was at fault in the goal, attempting a clever back-heel that was easily picked off by Andres Iniesta and played forward to Messi, who bobbled the ball over the oncoming Almunia and smashed a left-footed volley into the net.

The Gunners entered the dressing rooms looking downcast, but eight minutes after the break they had an unlikely equaliser.

It came from Samir Nasri's corner kick, which floated in at the near post and glanced off Barca midfielder Sergio Busquets for an own goal.

But their joy was short-lived as Van Persie was sent off six minutes later, referee Massimo Busacca harshly producing a second caution after the Dutchman ran on after being called offside and blasted wide of the goal.

Van Persie pleaded with Buscacca, protesting that he did not hear the offside call about the noise of the Camp Nou, but to no avail.

The sending off sparked Barca into action and they had soon levelled the tie at 3-3, with Iniesta playing forward and sliding a pass to Villa, whose brilliant one-touch worked Xavi into the box for a neat side-footed finish past Almunia.

Two minutes later it was all over for Arsenal, Messi wresting the advantage in Barca's favour with a cool finish from the spot after Laurent Koscielny tripped up Pedro in the area.

Almunia kept the Gunners in the contest with a number of fine saves, but substitute Nicklas Bendtner gave Barca a scare with a late surge into the area, but his first touch was poor and Barca goalkeeper Victor Valdes came off his line to intercept the Dane.

Arsenal 2-1 FC Barcelona (1st Leg 8th UEFA Champions League 2010/2011)

Arsenal FC scored two stunning goals in the last 12 minutes to secure their first ever victory over FC Barcelona and give themselves the advantage in another high-class duel between these two European giants.

David Villa gave the 2009 UEFA Champions League winners the initiative midway through the first half and though Lionel Messi contrived to miss a couple of gilt-edged opportunities, it seemed it would be enough. Robin van Persie put his side level with a shot that wrong-footed Víctor Valdés before substitute Andrey Arshavin fired a dramatic winner.

Arsenal had promised a more resolute, mature proposition for Barcelona to deal with compared to the team that had almost lost last season's quarter-final in the first leg, going 2-0 down before mounting a fightback. The Gunners threatened first when Samir Nasri's free-kick narrowly cleared all his team-mates and carried through to Valdés.

Theo Walcott then overhit his pass to Van Persie following a scintillating run but the speedy winger was soon back on the prowl. This time his pass found Cesc Fàbregas who scooped a lovely ball to give Van Persie a scoring chance at the far post: Valdés did well to parry.

The visitors began to knit their passes together and there was something ominous in the space Daniel Alves was afforded and in Messi's hunger for the ball.

Messi and Villa combined with a couple of lovely touches which sent the former streaking through with only Wojciech Szczęsny to beat. Credit the goalkeeper, making his European debut, for spreading himself and forcing the world's supreme talent to steer his chip wide.

A swift Arsenal counter saw Fabregas loft the ball out of Valdés's reach but Éric Abidal was on hand to head away. It only proved the preamble to Barcelona's opening goal, however, with Messi and Villa swapping roles to devastating effect. Messi played the decisive pass to put the Spanish predator in the clear and this time Szczęsny could not keep it out.

Van Persie sliced another opening wide but these were becoming rare opportunities for the Gunners. After the break Arsenal tried all they knew to find their traditional smooth groove. Jack Wilshere fired off a shot at the start of the second half and Van Persie another 20 minutes in but they were no test for a keeper of Valdés's class.

In their desperation Arsenal became prone to giving the ball away. It nearly proved costly as Andrés Iniesta fed Messi but once more his luck was out as his shot flew into the side-netting. Then the game changed, Van Persie finding a gap between Valdés and his near post following an exquisite chip forward by Gaël Clichy.

The crowd roared their team on for a second and when Nasri broke away five minutes later Arshavin arrived on cue in the penalty area to shoot beyond the goalkeeper. There was late pressure on the home team but they survived and now head for the round of 16 second leg with plenty of confidence.

Barca braced for Arsenal battle

Barcelona forward Pedro is expecting Arsenal to provide a stern test for the La Liga title holders in Wednesday's Champions League encounter.

The two sides met in the quarter-finals last season, with Barca winning 6-3 on aggregate.

But the Spain international is expecting the Gunners to be a much tougher prospect at their Emirates Stadium home when they meet in the last 16 midweek.

"They have a great team, and we know that it will be a very difficult game. They have great players, especially in attack, fast and physical players. It will be a hard tie as both teams are in good form," Pedro said.

"They are in good form and have very good players like Cesc (Fabregas) and (Robin) van Persie. Arsenal are always hard opponents, and this game will be no different."

"Getting a good result away is always important for us. We know that it will be hard, but as always we will go out to win the game."

"We are hoping for a good result, and a win would be very positive for the second leg at home."

Pedro also played down renewed speculation about a bid for national team-mate Fabregas, pleading his ignorance about any potential move for the Gunners captain.

"I don't know. I hope so. He is a great player and was here before," Pedro said.

"We know that he can adapt to here. He has also expressed an interest in coming here, but there is no reason to talk about this."

"We are going to be playing against him and his team, but I hope that one day he can play here. He is a great player and we would all like him here."

FC Barcelona 2-0 Rubin Kazan (Matchday 6 - Group Stage UCL 2010/2011)

Rubin blown away by Barcelona young guns

A youthful FC Barcelona side did what their senior colleagues had failed to do in three attempts as the Spanish champions ended Group D with a 2-0 win against FC Rubin Kazan.

Andreu Fontàs and substitute Víctor Vázquez scored the goals – their first for the club – at the start and end of the second half as the section winners passed Rubin into submission. In any event, the visitors' UEFA Champions League days were numbered as FC København's 3-0 win against Panathinaikos FC meant this result was academic, and they will now turn attention to the UEFA Europa League.

Andrés Iniesta, Lionel Messi and Xavi Hernández were named in an all-Barcelona shortlist for the FIFA Ballon d'Or on Monday but none were in the starting XI as Josep Guardiola, with top spot already assured, experimented. Fontàs and Thiago Alcántara were handed their UEFA Champions League debuts but before their merits could be assessed the coach had other things to concern him.

The game was 13 minutes old when Jeffren limped off with a groin strain and before half-time Bojan Krkić had joined him in the treatment room after a blow to the head. As if Guardiola's intention to blood the newest alumni of Barcelona's renowned La Masia youth system had not been clear their replacements were Vázquez, on his second UEFA Champions League outing, and another debutant, Marc Bartra.

Naturally the passing and movement were less fluid, less confident, and the hosts could have fallen behind on 15 minutes. Gökdeniz Karadeniz fed the overlapping Cristian Ansaldi on the left and whether the Argentinian meant to shoot or cross the effect was a superb stop from one of the old guard; the 35-year-old Pinto, who was deputising for Víctor Valdés.

Barcelona's injuries meant they reverted from a three to a four-man back line, but the flip side was that defenders had more scope to attack – Fontàs needed no invitation. Six minutes after the restart Thiago cut in from the right following a corner and the central defender, 21, stabbed the ball in via the outstretched hand of Vitali Kaleshin.

The highlight of the remainder of the match looked like being either the introduction of Messi, who produced some trademark dribbling, or Rubin's best chance which Rafał Murawski flicked casually into Pinto's hands. Barcelona would not be denied by these opponents a fourth time, however, and with seven minutes remaining Adriano fed Vázquez, who bent a right-footed shot past the exposed Sergei Ryzhikov.

Panathinaikos 0-3 FC Barcelona (Matchday 5 - Group Stage UCL 2010/2011)

Barcelona make progress as Panathinaikos fall

FC Barcelona ensured that they progressed to the next round of the Champions League as group winners after a convincing victory against Panathinaikos on Wednesday thanks to two goals from Pedro and another from Lionel Messi.

The Blaugrana took their league form into Europe once again and the competition's famous tune before kick-off lifted the players and they produced another strong performance. Mixing a serious approach with moments of flair and excitement Pep Guardiola's side avoided a Greek tragedy in Athens and found the net when it mattered to see off the threat from their hosts. Panathinaikos needed something from the game in order to keep their hopes of remaining in Europe alive, but the loss means that they cannot lift themselves out of fourth spot in the last match.

Crowd calming

Before the game there was talk of the atmosphere that Barça would face in the Olympic Stadium and the home fans put on a show, but that did not affect the visitors. Instead, long periods of possession by the away team silenced the supporters while the Panathinaikos side sat back and tried to keep their opponents out. Occasionally, the hosts did push forward on the counter-attack and Cissé did have a one-against-one with Víctor Valdés and the keeper was forced to produce a good save with 20 minutes on the clock. That did prove to be Pana's best chance of the evening.

First goal

Adriano then went close after being named in the team late on, but Alexandro Tzorvas denied him. In minute 27 the deadlock was broken as Dani Alves pushed the ball through as crowd of players and Pedro ran onto to before beating the keeper. Barça looked to build on the lead, but chances were few and far between and the team had to be precise when they came. David Villa had an opportunity and Pedro another before the break but a second goal would not come.

Same again

The game continued in a similar manner after the break as Barça employed a mixture of patience and pragmatism and began to find more and more space. Adriano again tested the hosts' keeper with an almost identical chance to his first effort. Panathinaikos did not heed the warning though and just after the hour mark Andrés Iniseta combined with Adriano before finding Messi, who scored his sixth Champions League goal of the season.

Clàsico focus

Within seven minutes Barça had a three-goal cushion as Alves was again involved as he found Iniesta on the left of the area and Pedro met his cross to convert for his second of the evening. With the result put beyond doubt the home fans put on a show but that did not help their side as they bowed out of the competition and missed out on a place in the Europa League. For Barça the focus now turns to el clàsico as Real Madrid are next up in Camp Nou and the team's confidence remains high after this latest European triumph.

Match statistics

Panathinaikos		Barcelona
0	Goals scored	3
1	Attempts on target	12
2	Attempts off target	2
1	Yellow cards	1
0	Red cards	0
11	Fouls committed	11
1	Corners	5
9	Offsides	5
18' 30''	Possession (time)	50' 11''
26	Possession (%)	74

København 1-1 FC Barcelona (Matchday 4 - Group Stage UCL 2010/2011)

Claudemir's rapid response to Lionel Messi's first-half opener edged FC København a vital step closer to the UEFA Champions League knockout phase while preventing FC Barcelona from already stamping their ticket.

Fresh from troubling the Spanish champions in a 2-0 Camp Nou loss two weeks ag, FCK again played with commendable belief, setting the early tempo and Claudemir levelling within 60 seconds after Lionel Messi had added to his double in that match. Goalkeeper Johan Wiland also put in an eye-catching shift to keep København four points ahead of next opponents FC Rubin Kazan in second place. One point clear at the summit, Barcelona will hope to seal their progress at Panathinaikos FC on Matchday 5.

Both teams were given a lift before kick-off with the news that section rivals Rubin and Panathinaikos had drawn 0-0 in Russia, and they began with the look of sides feeling at home in the top two places. If that was more surprising coming from the Danish outfit, it was they who nearly registered within three minutes, Claudemir crashing a loose ball against the corner of post and crossbar from 30 metres out.

Martin Vingaard then tested Víctor Valdés directly from successive corners, but Barcelona could not be subdued forever and, with 22 minutes gone, Johan Wiland did excellently to turn a David Villa shot against the woodwork. The København goalkeeper followed up by denying Sergio Busquets from close range but he was powerless to stop Messi as the Argentinian international fired in off the far post after FCK's centre-backs had converged to cut out Seydou Keita's header to Villa but failed to clear.

Instead of wilting, Ståle Solbakken's surged back with defiance, Claudemir volleying low beyond Víctor Valdés after he had let a Jesper Grønkjær cross slip through his fingers. The Barcelona No1 did better to save from Oscar Wendt, yet it was his counterpart who ended the half the busiest, pulling off a trio of stops from Messi.

Wiland continued to impress after the break as well, palming clear an Iniesta effort as his team-mates faded as an attacking force – until Cristián Bolaños screwed wide with 20 minutes remaining. That miss seemed to galvanise his colleagues and they were soon celebrating when Dame N'Doye headed in, only for the striker to be penalised for a foul. N'Doye then had to be shepherded wide after threatening to bury a memorable winner, which is precisely what substitute Pedro Rodríguez nearly provided when he blasted against the post in added time.

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At a glance

Lineups

København			Barcelona
21	Johan Wiland (GK)		1	Víctor Valdés (GK)
2	Zdeněk Pospěch	89'	2	Daniel Alves
6	Claudemir	32'	3	Gerard Piqué
8	William Kvist (C)		5	Carles Puyol (C)
10	Jesper Grønkjær		6	Xavi Hernández
14	Dame N'Doye		7	David Villa	80'
15	Mikael Antonsson		8	Andrés Iniesta
17	Oscar Wendt		10	Lionel Messi	31'
20	Martin Vingaard	90'	15	Seydou Keita
25	Mathias Zanka Jørgensen		16	Sergio Busquets	50'
30	Christián Bolaños	90+2'	22	Éric Abidal
Substitutes
1	Kim Christensen (GK)		31	Rubén Miño (GK)
5	Sölvi Ottesen	90'	9	Bojan Krkić
9	Morten Nordstrand		14	Javier Mascherano
11	César Santin		17	Pedro Rodríguez	80'
16	Thomas Kristensen		18	Gabriel Milito
18	Kenneth Zohore		19	Maxwell
27	Thomas Delaney	90+2'	21	Adriano
Coach
	Ståle Solbakken (NOR)			Josep Guardiola (ESP)
Referee
	Cristian Balaj (ROU)
Assistant referees
	Zoltán Székely (ROU), Sebastian Gheorghe (ROU)
Fourth official
	Augustus Constantin (ROU)
Additional assistant referees
	Marius Avram (ROU), István Kovács (ROU)

København 1 - 1 FC Barcelona

Match statistics

København		Barcelona
1	Goals scored	1
4	Attempts on target	6
5	Attempts wide	5
1	Yellow cards	1
0	Red cards	0
9	Fouls committed	10
5	Corners	4
2	Offside	3
22' 42''	Possession (time)	41' 27''
35	Possession (%)	65