LONDON (BBC): Lionel Messi’s first goal in nine Champions League games against Chelsea gave Barcelona a potentially vital away goal as they rode their luck to earn a draw in the first leg of their last-16 tie at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues had subdued Messi, and Willian had struck the woodwork twice in the first half before a fine low finish from the edge of the area made it third time lucky for the Brazilian and gave Antonio Conte’s side a deserved lead after 62 minutes.
Barcelona had barely threatened but a misplaced pass from Andreas Christensen gave Andres Iniesta the opportunity to allow Messi to end his 730-minute drought against Chelsea with a crisp left-foot drive 15 minutes from time.
It was cruel on the hosts after an outstanding display – but gives Barca the advantage of an away goal for the return leg at the Nou Camp on Wednesday, 14 March.
The result does mean none of the English teams have lost in their last-16 first-leg ties so far.
Liverpool beat Porto 5-0, Manchester City defeated Basel 4-0, Tottenham drew 2-2 at Juventus.Manchester United visit Sevilla on Wednesday.
In Tuesday’s other Champions League match, German champions Bayern Munich thrashed Besiktas 5-0 after the Turkish side had Domagoj Vida sent off in the 16th minute.
Chelsea and Conte knew they needed a performance of fierce tactical discipline and near perfection to establish a platform.
And they came so close to achieving it until that moment in the 75th minute that might yet prove decisive in this tie.
Conte’s decision to play with Eden Hazard as a “false nine” and have plenty of bodies around Barcelona’s brilliant creators worked superbly as Willian gave them the lead they fully deserved just after the hour.
Only ill luck and both posts had prevented the hosts from building an advantage earlier. And Chelsea’s organisation and willingness to contest every situation frustrated Barcelona, even the world-class pairing of Messi and Luis Suarez.
In Willian, Chelsea had the game’s outstanding performer. He rattled both posts and ran Barcelona ragged with his pace and strong running.
The Blues fans were just beginning to contemplate taking a precious lead to the Nou Camp when Christensen, outstanding this season, misplaced a pass across his own area with catastrophic consequences.
Iniesta picked the perfect pass for Messi to complete the formalities with a sweeping left-foot finish.
Chelsea’s concentration may have been disturbed by penalty appeals a second earlier when Suarez tangled with Antonio Rudiger – but it was the sort of error that rarely goes unpunished by opposition of such quality.
The home side and the work of their manager – who said he had sleepless nights working out a plan to combat Barcelona – deserve so much credit on a night when they put their recent struggles behind them and looked much more like last season’s Premier League champions.
