ibra's grumble and messi's record
⊆ 08.25 by Mo Hyo Se | ˜ 0 comments »
soccerroomtoday.com
It was not a spectacular night of football like Barca's 7-1 thrashing of Bayer Leverkusen in the last round where Lionel Messi bagged a record five goals. The quarter-final tie was effectively decided by two first-half penalties converted by Messi, which saw him move on to 51 Champions League goals and at just 24 is the youngest to break the 50 landmark. Messi also broke the record for goals scored in a Champions League campaign, his two goals on the night bringing his tally to 14 and breaking the previous total held by himself and Ruud van Nistelrooy of 12. But AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic sparked controversy after his side's Champions League elimination by Barcelona suggesting the holders receive a helping hand from referees at the Camp Nou. Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho says it is impossible to beat Barca at the Camp Nou and an angry Ibrahimovic, who spent a disappointing season with Barca during the 2009-10 campaign, claimed the same after the 3-1 defeat on Tuesday which followed a 0-0 draw at the San Siro in the first leg.
Barca controlled the opening stages of the game and took the lead after a series of errors from Milan. Massimo Ambrosini was dispossessed in midfield by Messi who tore into the area and then appeared to make the wrong decision in playing the ball back to Xavi. Full-back Luca Antonini dispossessed the Spain international but then went through the back of Messi and the referee awarded the penalty which the Argentine despatched into the corner. Milan equalised through Antonio Nocerino but then came the controversial penalty decision with the shirt tug by Nesta on Busquets as a corner was being delivered. Messi stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way from 12 yards and then at the start of the second half Andres Iniesta put the game beyond Milan. (http://sports.ndtv.com)
While the debate rages around him as to whether he should be considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest, player of all time, Messi continues to notch up goals at a dizzying rate. With two months of the season left to play, he has already amassed 58 goals in all competitions. In stark contrast, his former team mate at Barcelona, Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who had been touted as the main threat to Barca's progress on Tuesday, was left ranting about the referee. The Milan players were fuming over Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers decision to penalise Alessandro Nesta for pulling Sergio Busquets's shirt at a corner for the second penalty. (http://in.reuters.com)
