Barca end City’s CL hopes

Goals from Lionel Messi and Dani Alves seal Barcelona’s progress into CL quarter-finals with a 4-1 aggregate win.

Messi's goal took his tally to eight goals in five matches in this season's CL [GALLO/GETTY]

Lionel Messi struck in the second half to end Manchester City’s dreams of a famous comeback as Barcelona beat the English club 2-1 to reach the Champions League quarter-finals.

Barca were far from their classic best which saw them lift the trophy in 2009 and 2011 but a stuttering version under Gerardo Martino who had lost two of their last three games.

Messi slotted home in the 67th minute after a mistake by Joleon Lescott, and City’s night got worse when Pablo Zabaleta was sent off with a second yellow card for dissent.

The visitors scored a consolation through Vincent Kompany’s tap-in in the 89th minute before Dani Alves won the game for Barca in the first minute of injury time.

Leverkusen exit

Paris Saint-Germain were the other team to advance to the quarter-finals for the second straight season after coming from behind for a 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen and a 6-1 victory on aggregate.

With PSG leading 4-0 from the first leg, there was little chance of an upset but midfielder Sidney Sam gave Leverkusen a flicker of hope with a well taken goal after six minutes.

PSG replied soon after through Brazilian defender Marquinhos and Argentina winger Ezequiel Lavezzi continued his fine form with the winner in the 53rd minute.

Leverkusen had midfielder Emre Can sent off for a second yellow card with a little more than 20 minutes left.

But PSG will have to do better in defense in the quarters, with Leverkusen captain Simon Rolfes missing a first-half penalty.

Source: Al Jazeera