Barca, Bayern cruise into Champions League semis
Updated: 2012-04-04 10:14
(Agencies)
|
||||||||
LONDON - Holders Barcelona and Bayern Munich reached the Champions League semi-finals with home wins over AC Milan and Olympique Marseille respectively on Tuesday when Lionel Messi broke another record with his 13th and 14th goals of this season's competition.
Players of Bayern Munich celebrate after their Champions League quarter-final second leg soccer match against Olympique Marseille in Munich, April 3, 2012. [Photo/Agencies] |
Messi converted two first half penalties as Barca beat Milan 3-1 at the Nou Camp and by the same aggregate score in their quarter-final tie after a 0-0 draw in the first leg last week.
The Argentine's first spot kick after 11 minutes was his 13th goal of the campaign in the competition, a record he extended to 14 with a second penalty four minutes before halftime.
Antonio Nocerino briefly got Milan back into the tie with an equaliser after 33 minutes, but their joy was short-lived when Messi made it 2-1 eight minutes later.
Andres Iniesta added a third in the 53rd minute to put Barca into the last four for the fifth successive season.
Bayern Munich, who led 2-0 from the first leg in Marseille, wrapped up their victory with two Ivica Olic goals in the first half for a 2-0 win on the night and a 4-0 aggregate victory.
They will now almost certainly play Real Madrid in their semi-final with Jose Mourinho's side, 3-0 ahead in their quarter-final against APOEL Nicosia, the last obstacle to Bayern reaching the final on their own ground next month.
Barcelona will meet the winners of the Chelsea-Benfica quarter-final which the London side lead 1-0 after the first leg in Lisbon.
- 'Taken 2' grabs movie box office crown
- Rihanna's 'Diamonds' tops UK pop chart
- Fans get look at vintage Rolling Stones
- Celebrities attend Power of Women event
- Ang Lee breaks 'every rule' to make unlikely new Life of Pi film
- Rihanna almost thrown out of nightclub
- 'Dark Knight' wins weekend box office
- 'Total Recall' stars gather in Beverly Hills
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
Supplies pour into isolated villages |
All-out efforts to save lives |
American abroad |
Industry savior: Big boys' toys |
New commissioner
|
Liaoning: China's oceangoing giant |
Today's Top News
Health new priority for quake zone
Xi meets US top military officer
Japan's boats driven out of Diaoyu
China mulls online shopping legislation
Bird flu death toll rises to 22
Putin appoints new ambassador to China
Japanese ships blocked from Diaoyu Islands
Inspired by Guan, more Chinese pick up golf
US Weekly
Beyond Yao
|
Money power |