Lionel Messi scored twice and Philippe Coutinho netted the other as Barcelona booked their spot in the semi-finals of the Champions League with a 3-0 win over Manchester United in the second leg of their quarter-final at Camp Nou.
Barca entered the match with a 1-0 advantage earned from the first leg at Old Trafford and it proved to be a comfortable progression to the final four at United's expense.
Read how it all unfolded in Sports Mole's minute-by-minute live commentary of the action below.
Good evening and welcome to Sports Mole's live commentary of the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final between Barcelona and Manchester United at Camp Nou. An own goal from Luke Shaw saw Barca claim a 1-0 victory in the first leg at Old Trafford last week. It will be the first meeting between these two teams at Camp Nou since April 2008. On that occasion, the pair played out a goalless draw in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final. Stay tuned!
TEAMS!
BARCA: Ter Stegen; Roberto, Lenglet, Pique, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Arthur; Coutinho, L Suarez, Messi
UNITED: De Gea; Jones, Lindelof, Smalling, Young; McTominay, Fred, Pogba; Lingard, Rashford, Martial
Just the one change to the Barca XI from the first leg, with Sergi Roberto taking the place of Nelson Semedo at right-back. Elsewhere, there are no surprises, with Philippe Coutinho again starting alongside Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi in attack as Ousmane Dembele is not fit to start. Clement Lenglet, meanwhile, is again given the nod at centre-back.
As for United, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made three changes to the team that started the first leg. In come Phil Jones, Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard, with Luke Shaw (suspended), Romelu Lukaku and Diogo Dalot dropping out. Marcus Rashford will lead the line for the 20-time English champions, who look to be in a 4-3-3, but I shall confirm that when things get underway!
United will enter the clash having lost each of their last three games with Barca - two of which were Champions League finals. Indeed, the last time that the Red Devils managed to overcome the Spanish giants was in the second leg of their semi-final back in 2008, when Paul Scholes's stunner decided the two-legged affair. Right, we are ready. Kickoff at Camp Nou is next!
KICKOFF: United kick things off in Spain...
OFF THE BAR! ... Oh my word! United hit the crossbar inside the first minute as Rashford breaks into the Barca box before striking towards goal. Almost an incredible start for the away side!
CHANCE! Another huge chance for United as McTominay is found inside the Barca box, but the midfielder just loses control at the vital moment! He would have had a shot on goal there!
This has been a very, very encouraging start from United, who win their first corner of the match through Rashford. Barca have not really started here!
Young's corner is poor and Barca can clear their lines. The ball does stay with United and Pogba looks to deliver into Martial, but it runs out of play for a goal kick. Very positive from United.
Good goalkeeping from De Gea to read the situation as Luis Suarez threatens to run away from Jones, who is actually in at centre-back with Lindelof taking up the right-back berth here.
Barca are giving up all sorts of space here and Martial tries his luck from just inside the box, but Pique makes the block. Still all United in terms of early possession and pressure here.
Across goes Jones to clear ahead of Arthur, who had been found by a brilliant Messi pass. Barca are able to deliver the resulting corner, but United clear their lines through Pogba.
SHOT! Pogba strikes from distance, but it was never threatening to test Ter Stegen.
PENALTY! Barca have a penalty as Fred challenges Rakitic inside the United box!
VAR are having a look. It was incredibly soft...
... the referee is over to have a look.
No penalty! The referee has overturned it!
Luis Suarez and Smalling contest the drop ball inside the United box, and it goes behind for a goal kick. Thirteen minutes on the clock and we are all square, but plenty of drama here!
SAVE! Ter Stegen keeps out Rashford's strike from outside the Barca box!
Really super header from Jones to clear an Alba cross ahead of Luis Suarez.
GOAL! BARCELONA 1-0 MAN UNITED (MESSI)
Barca take the lead in the 16th minute as Messi drives to the edge of the United box before picking out the bottom corner with a stunning effort. It was Young who gave the ball away and Messi rolled his effort into the far corner, with De Gea unable to get a hand on it.
All Barca now as they boss the possession across the pitch.
GOAL! BARCELONA 2-0 MAN UNITED (MESSI)
Barca have their second of the match through Messi, but it is a horror show from De Gea, who lets the Argentine's weak effort squeeze through his body. Serious error from De Gea there.
United are now really struggling after such a bright start. It has gone very wrong here.
United have not really had the ball since the second goal went in, with Barca utterly dominant in terms of possession. This has become almost impossible for the English giants.
United have not really had the ball since the second goal went in, with Barca utterly dominant in terms of possession. This has become almost impossible for the English giants.
SHOT! Messi dances into the United box before firing over the United crossbar!
United have had a bit of the ball in the last minute or so, but are just not offering a threat. It is not a great game at the moment, which was certainly the case in the early stages here.
Little over 15 minutes of the first period remaining and United really need one of their forward players to stand up here. Very little has been seen from Paul Pogba in the first 30 minutes.
Decent defending from Smalling to clear a low cross from Alba, who is almost playing as a wide forward at the moment. United are having real problems down their right at the moment.
Fred is perhaps a touch fortunate to escape a booking for bringing Rakitic to the deck with the Croatia international threatening to drive into the United box once again.
SHOT! Messi fires a long-range free kick over the United crossbar.
Pogba is fortunate to escape a booking for hacking Arthur. United really need the Frenchman to step forward because he has offered very little in the first 37 minutes of this game.
SAVE! Comfortable for Ter Stegen to keep out a low drive from Pogba.
Smalling is just holding his hamstring here and might not be able to continue.
SAVE! Decent stop from De Gea to keep out a header from Rakitic.
United have a free kick outside the Barca box...
... straight into the Barca wall from Rashford.
SAVE! Incredible, incredible save from De Gea to keep out a close-range Roberto effort, who had met a cross from Alba. It is a stunning piece of goalkeeping from the Spain international!
HALF TIME: BARCELONA 2-0 MAN UNITED (BARCELONA LEAD 3-0 ON AGGREGATE)
So there we have it. The referee brings the first period to a close with Messi scoring twice to hand Barca a two-goal advantage on the night. The Spanish champions now lead 3-0 on aggregate and are very much on course for the semi-finals of the Champions League.
STATISTICS! Barca had 61% of the possession in the first period, hitting the target with four of their six attempts. United, meanwhile, also had six attempts, with two of those on target. No yellow cards to report, but there have been some late challenges and perhaps Rakitic should have been booked for diving inside the United box, which initially saw a penalty awarded.
BENCH WATCH! United have a number of attacking players on their bench tonight, with Dalot, Lukaku, Mata, Pereira and Alexis Sanchez all available for the English giants. Barca, meanwhile, also have plenty of talent with Alena, Dembele, Malcom, Vidal and Umtiti all in reserve tonight.
KICKOFF: Barca resume the action here...
... no changes from either side at the break, which is not too much of a surprise. However, I suspect that both managers will have alterations in mind as play develops at Camp Nou.
CLOSE! Messi sees his attempt deflected just wide of the United post.
It is very difficult to imagine United overturning this deficit, but surely Lukaku and probably Sanchez will need to be introduced soon because something has to change here.
Fred has to clear behind for a corner under pressure from Arthur as Barca search for a third early in the second period. Not too much from the away side going forward at the moment.
United win their first corner of the second period after good work from Martial...
... Smalling and McTominay rise inside the box, but Barca clear their lines.
Lukaku is being put through his paces at the moment and it would not be a surprise to see the Belgium international introduced in the next few minutes. At the moment, the match is drifting and that is exactly what Barca want to happen due to their three-goal advantage.
Little over 30 minutes of the second period remaining and it remains 2-0 Barca.
Poor from Pogba as the midfielder over-hits his cross after breaking into a dangerous position. Pogba has again been disappointing on the big stage, but he is not the only one in pink.
GOAL! BARCELONA 3-0 MAN UNITED (COUTINHO)
Barca put this game to bed as Coutinho finds space outside the box before curling a wonderful effort into the top corner of the goal. Brilliant strike from the Brazil international!
CLOSE! Messi comes close with an over-head kick following more lacklustre defending from United. Still the best part of 25 minutes for Barca to add to the scoring in this match.
MAN UNITED SUB! Dalot replaces Martial for United.
The clock ticks on and Barca are breezing into the semi-finals of the competition.
Barca are preparing to make their first change as Semedo gets ready here.
BARCELONA SUB! Semedo it is, on for Roberto.
MAN UNITED SUB! Lukaku replaces Rashford for the away side.
BARCELONA SUB! Arthur is replaced by Arturo Vidal for the home side.
Dalot breaks into a dangerous position before delivering towards the far post - Pogba gathers, but the midfielder loses the ball and the home side are away on the attack once again.
YELLOW CARD! Luis Suarez (Barcelona) is booked for dissent.
CLOSE! Lingard's strike from distance just misses the top corner!
MAN UNITED SUB! Sanchez replaces Lingard for the away side.
BARCELONA SUB! Dembele replaces Coutinho for the home side.
Dalot breaks into the Barca box, but the offside flag is raised. Dalot has been bright for the away side since coming on and has shown real signs of promise in recent weeks.
Not too much to report in the last few minutes, but Barca are controlling the ball. Vidal has just struck one from distance, although it was always moving wide of the post.
Possession football from Barca as we head for the final stages of this match.
CLOSE! Luis Suarez just chips over the far corner from a dangerous position.
SAVE! Huge save from Ter Stegen to keep out a header from Sanchez!
We are into the second of two additional minutes here.
SAVE! Smart save from De Gea to keep out a strike from Messi.
BARCELONA 3-0 MAN UNITED (BARCELONA WIN 4-0 ON AGGREGATE)
So there we have it. The referee brings the second period to a close with United suffering a 3-0 defeat on the night and 4-0 loss on aggregate. Barcelona advance to the semi-finals of the competition, where they will face either Porto or Liverpool. Thanks for joining Sports Mole for our live coverage once again. Until next time!
Written by
Matt Law
Matt Law
