- Messi scores in 2nd minute (video)
- Then assists Dembele, 20
- Alonso hits post
- Messi completes brace, records 100th UCL goal
Lionel Messi put a pair of goals through the legs of Thibaut Courtois and Ousmane Dembele also scored as Barcelona worked Chelsea 3-0 at the Camp Nou on Wednesday to advance to UEFA Champions League quarterfinals by a 4-1 aggregate score line.
The tie was 1-1 after the first leg at Stamford Bridge, but Messi scored the fastest goal of his career to put the reigning Premier League champions on the back foot.
Messi scored his 100th Champions League, and only Cristiano Ronaldo is in front of him on the all-time table with 117 goals. Ronaldo is two years and four months older than Messi.
[ MORE: Full lineups, stats, box score ]
The Barcelona mega star started a combination play and deposited a deflected pass between the legs of Thibaut Courtois from a very tight angle.
Chelsea didn’t go away, and Barca showed it can counter just as well as it possesses when Messi took advantage of a turnover from former teammate Cesc Fabregas.
Messi danced down the left and cut across the 18 to find Dembele. The teenager took a touch and blasted past Courtois for 2-0.
Luis Suarez was denied by Courtois in the 28th as Barcelona threatened to turn the second leg into a runaway.
The Blues nearly found a goal in the 45th minute when Marcos Alonso whipped a free kick off the post, but Chelsea would need to find a pair in the second half in order to reach the quarterfinals.
[ MORE: Watch full PL match replays ]
02:08 - Lionel Messi has scored the fastest goal of his career (Barcelona and Argentina). Ray. pic.twitter.com/CcGY4InWmy
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) March 14, 2018
[ MORE: Latest Premier League standings ]
A giveaway forced Courtois to deny Suarez in the 48th minute, as Barcelona aimed for the third goal which would make a quarterfinal berth a virtual certainty.
Olivier Giroud drew a yellow card in protest when the referee denied Marcos Alonso’s shouts for a penalty kick.
Messi then did his thing again, beating Courtois through the legs in the 64th minute.
For his next goal, Messi’s entire body will go right through the legs of Courtois
— Phil Dzikiy (@phildzikiy) March 14, 2018
Messi now has as many CL goals as Tottenham, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Wes Morgan combined
— Duncan Alexander (@oilysailor) March 14, 2018
What a night for Messi!
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) March 14, 2018
He nutmegs Courtois AGAIN to score his second of the night and make it 3-0 for Barcelona. pic.twitter.com/jZ7obKb8NO
