Barcelona made Champions League history by knocking out AC Milan to reach the quarter-finals.

First-half goals from Lionel Messi plus David Villa and Jordi Alba's second-half strikes made Barca the first side to overturn a two-goal first-leg deficit without help from an away goal.

Barca v AC Milan at a glance

  • No side had ever come back from a two-goal first-leg defeat without the benefit of an away goal before Barcelona's result
  • AC Milan's 4-0 defeat equalled their heaviest ever loss in the competition
  • Barcelona are now undefeated in 20 home games in the Champions League

Messi scored on five minutes, adding a second just before the break after Milan's M'Baye Niang had hit a post.

Villa then put Barca ahead before Alba sealed the win in injury time.

"We will remember this for years to come," said Barca sporting director and former Spain goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta.

"Messi's two goals put us in a strong position, Villa's was very important and Alba gave everyone exactly what they wanted with the fourth."

For all of Milan's excellence in the San Siro a fortnight ago, the kind of incision Barcelona have become renowned had been absent as they slipped to a 2-0 defeat.

Match stats

Barcelona AC Milan

4

Goals

0

65%

Possession

35%

730

Attempted passes

387

573

Completed passes

238

78.5%

Pass completion rate

61.5%

10

Attempts on target

3

4

Attempts off target

3

6

Corners

3

2

Offsides

5

6

Fouls committed

19

1

Yellow cards

3

0

Red cards

0

Coupled with successive Spanish Cup and league losses to rivals Real Madrid, plus continuing doubts about the health of coach Tito Vilanova, questions were being asked about their future.

But Barca's usual zip returned on the vast Nou Camp pitch as they started the game at high tempo.

Such intensity was rewarded almost immediately as Messi played a neat one-two with Xavi before finding the top corner with a left-foot shot that left goalkeeper Christian Abbiati rooted to the spot.

The goal was the Argentine's 52nd of the season but his first in open play in 10 meetings with Italian sides.

In the first leg, Milan's tight, disciplined display left no gaps for their opponents to run through. At the Nou Camp, Barca were granted too much space on the edge of the penalty area.

The Italians survived two penalty appeals and a poor headed attempt by Messi before the tie's key moments came with just over five minutes of the first half remaining.

First, Milan striker Niang struck the woodwork after racing through on goal following a swift counter-attack from a Barca corner.

Then, Milan's advantage from the first leg was wiped out moments later as Messi fizzed in an unstoppable shot from 20-yards after Massimo Ambrosini lost possession.

When you go through a night like this, all of the bad days are forgotten. We do not care who we get in the quarter-finals.

Barcelona striker David Villa

Barca continued on the front foot after the interval and went ahead on aggregate for the first time when Villa finished clinically after he was picked out in the box by Xavi. The goal owed much to left-back Kevin Constant's rash attempt to intercept the pass before it reached the striker.

The visitors now knew they had to score to stand any chance of progression, prompting head coach Massimiliano Allegri to bring on former Manchester City striker Robinho.

This change nearly produced the breakthrough the Serie A side were looking for.

Barca youth product and fellow substitute Bojan Krkic put in a low centre that Robinho seemed certain to convert before defender Alba dived across to block the shot.

Alba then sealed a memorable win by slotting past Abbiati after a wonderful counter-attack following a Milan free-kick.

Lineup, Bookings (4) & Substitutions (6)

Barcelona

  • 01 Valdes
  • 02 Alves
  • 03 Pique
  • 18 Alba
  • 06 Xavi
  • 08 Iniesta
  • 10 Messi
  • 14 Mascherano (Puyol - 77' )
  • 16 Busquets
  • 07 Villa (Sanchez - 74' )
  • 17 Pedro Booked (Adriano Correia - 83' )

Substitutes

  • 13 Pinto
  • 05 Puyol
  • 21 Adriano Correia
  • 04 Fabregas
  • 25 Song
  • 09 Sanchez
  • 37 Cristian Tello

AC Milan

  • 32 Abbiati
  • 05 Mexes Booked
  • 17 Zapata
  • 10 Boateng Booked
  • 16 Flamini Booked (Bojan - 75' )
  • 18 Montolivo
  • 20 Abate
  • 21 Constant
  • 23 Ambrosini (Muntari - 60' )
  • 92 El Shaarawy
  • 19 Niang (Robinho - 60' )

Substitutes

  • 01 Amelia
  • 02 De Sciglio
  • 25 Bonera
  • 04 Muntari
  • 08 Nocerino
  • 07 Robinho
  • 22 Bojan
Ref: V Kassai
Att: 96,000

Match Stats

Shots

12 9

On target

8 5

Corners

6 3

Fouls

6 18

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +3:16 Full time

Full Time The referee signals the end of the game.

90:00 +2:54

Effort from the edge of the area by Philippe Mexes goes wide of the right-hand post.

90:00 +1:25

Assist by Alexis Sanchez.

90:00 +1:25 Goal scored

Goal - Ramos Jordi Alba - Barcelona 4 - 0 AC Milan Ramos Jordi Alba finds the back of the net with a goal from inside the six-yard box low into the middle of the goal. Barcelona 4 (4)-(2) 0 AC Milan.

90:00 +0:52

Carles Puyol challenges De Souza Robinho unfairly and gives away a free kick. De Souza Robinho takes the free kick.

89:38

The referee blows for offside. Carles Puyol takes the direct free kick.

88:36

Corner taken short by Lionel Messi.

86:58

The offside flag is raised against De Souza Robinho. Victor Valdes takes the direct free kick.

86:44

Krkic Bojan takes a shot. Ramos Jordi Alba gets a block in.

83:36

Unfair challenge on Claro Adriano by Kevin-Prince Boateng results in a free kick. Hernandez Xavi restarts play with the free kick.

82:51 Substitution

Substitution Claro Adriano comes on in place of Rodriguez Pedro.

81:49

A cross is delivered by Krkic Bojan, De Souza Robinho gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Victor Valdes. Victor Valdes takes the free kick.

81:37

Short corner taken by Krkic Bojan from the left by-line.

81:14

Krkic Bojan sends in a cross, De Souza Robinho takes a shot. Ramos Jordi Alba gets a block in.

79:33

Da Silva Dani Alves gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Stephan El Shaarawy. Direct free kick taken by Philippe Mexes.

77:05

Inswinging corner taken by Hernandez Xavi from the left by-line, save made by Christian Abbiati.

76:56 Substitution

Substitution Carles Puyol comes on in place of Javier Mascherano.

75:29

Ignazio Abate is caught offside. Victor Valdes takes the direct free kick.

73:43 Substitution

Substitution Mathieu Flamini leaves the field to be replaced by Krkic Bojan.

73:43 Substitution

Substitution Alexis Sanchez replaces David Villa.

72:10

Unfair challenge on Lionel Messi by Cristian Zapata results in a free kick. Lionel Messi produces a strike on goal direct from the free kick.

70:46

Kevin-Prince Boateng is caught offside. Javier Mascherano takes the free kick.

68:12

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on David Villa by Kevin Constant. Direct free kick taken by Hernandez Xavi.

67:11

Kevin-Prince Boateng takes a shot. Blocked by Mathieu Flamini.

66:34

David Villa challenges Kevin Constant unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Christian Abbiati.

65:27

A cross is delivered by Ignazio Abate.

64:25

Unfair challenge on Ignazio Abate by Rodriguez Pedro results in a free kick. Cristian Zapata takes the free kick.

63:14

Riccardo Montolivo challenges Andres Iniesta unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Andres Iniesta.

62:01

Sulley Muntari concedes a free kick for a foul on Lionel Messi. Direct free kick taken by Lionel Messi.

61:31

Lionel Messi produces a left-footed shot from just outside the penalty box that misses to the left of the goal.

60:36

Free kick awarded for a foul by Kevin Constant on David Villa. The free kick is delivered left-footed by Lionel Messi from right wing, Sulley Muntari manages to make a clearance.

59:43 Substitution

Substitution Sulley Muntari joins the action as a substitute, replacing Massimo Ambrosini.

59:43 Substitution

Substitution De Souza Robinho joins the action as a substitute, replacing M'Baye Niang.

54:35

Assist on the goal came from Hernandez Xavi.

54:35 Goal scored

Goal - David Villa - Barcelona 3 - 0 AC Milan David Villa grabs a goal from inside the penalty box to the bottom left corner of the goal. Barcelona 3 (3)-(2) 0 AC Milan.

53:17

Direct free kick taken by Lionel Messi.

53:17 Booking

Booking Booking for Philippe Mexes for unsporting behaviour.

53:14

Unfair challenge on Lionel Messi by Philippe Mexes results in a free kick.

51:53

Outswinging corner taken by M'Baye Niang from the right by-line played to the near post, Effort from deep inside the area by Kevin-Prince Boateng misses to the right of the goal.

51:41

The ball is delivered by M'Baye Niang, Ramos Jordi Alba gets a block in.

49:07

Unfair challenge on Lionel Messi by Massimo Ambrosini results in a free kick. Hernandez Xavi takes the free kick.

47:52

Unfair challenge on Andres Iniesta by Massimo Ambrosini results in a free kick. Andres Iniesta takes the free kick.

47:11

Lionel Messi takes a shot. Comfortable save by Christian Abbiati.

45:01

The match restarts for the second half.

45:00 +1:21 Booking

Booking Caution for Mathieu Flamini.

45:00 +1:13 Half time

Half Time The match has reached half-time.

45:00 +1:07

Rodriguez Pedro fouled by Mathieu Flamini, the ref awards a free kick.

44:38

The assistant referee flags for offside against David Villa. Christian Abbiati takes the free kick.

44:19

The ball is delivered by da Silva Dani Alves, Cristian Zapata manages to make a clearance.

43:12

Da Silva Dani Alves fouled by Kevin Constant, the ref awards a free kick. Lionel Messi restarts play with the free kick.

42:12

M'Baye Niang concedes a free kick for a foul on Andres Iniesta. Andres Iniesta takes the direct free kick.

40:50

Free kick taken by Cristian Zapata.

40:50 Booking

Booking Rodriguez Pedro booked for unsporting behaviour.

40:48

Ignazio Abate fouled by Rodriguez Pedro, the ref awards a free kick.

39:08

Andres Iniesta provided the assist for the goal.

39:08 Goal scored

Goal - Lionel Messi - Barcelona 2 - 0 AC Milan Lionel Messi fires in a goal from just outside the penalty area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Barcelona 2 (2)-(2) 0 AC Milan.

38:02

Shot by M'Baye Niang from inside the box bounces off the post.

37:22

Outswinging corner taken by Hernandez Xavi from the right by-line, clearance made by Cristian Zapata.

37:06

The ball is delivered by da Silva Dani Alves, M'Baye Niang makes a clearance.

34:11

Effort from outside the penalty box by da Silva Dani Alves goes wide left of the target.

33:31

Stephan El Shaarawy takes a shot. Save made by Victor Valdes.

32:45

A cross is delivered by Lionel Messi, blocked by Philippe Mexes.

30:45

Da Silva Dani Alves sends in a cross, Cristian Zapata makes a clearance.

30:20

Kevin Constant concedes a free kick for a foul on Lionel Messi. Lionel Messi takes the free kick.

29:32

M'Baye Niang delivers the ball, Stephan El Shaarawy has an effort at goal.

27:42

Free kick awarded for a foul by da Silva Dani Alves on Kevin Constant. Direct free kick taken by Philippe Mexes.

24:40

Da Silva Dani Alves sends in a cross, Header by Rodriguez Pedro from deep inside the penalty area misses to the left of the target.

21:52

Gerard Pique restarts play with the free kick.

21:52 Booking

Booking Kevin-Prince Boateng goes into the book.

21:46

Kevin-Prince Boateng concedes a free kick for a foul on Andres Iniesta.

21:17

Centre by Sergio Busquets, Kevin Constant gets a block in.

19:53

Free kick awarded for a foul by Massimo Ambrosini on Lionel Messi. Hernandez Xavi takes the free kick.

18:15

Hernandez Xavi takes a inswinging corner from the left by-line played to the near post, clearance made by Massimo Ambrosini.

17:05

Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Hernandez Xavi played to the near post, clearance made by Kevin Constant.

16:55

Centre by Lionel Messi, clearance by Kevin Constant.

16:28

Hernandez Xavi takes a short corner.

16:11

Hernandez Xavi takes a shot. Save made by Christian Abbiati.

14:59

Corner taken by Stephan El Shaarawy.

12:28

Andres Iniesta takes a shot. Save by Christian Abbiati. Lionel Messi has a headed effort at goal from close in which goes wide left of the goal.

8:53

Da Silva Dani Alves crosses the ball, save by Christian Abbiati.

8:10

Stephan El Shaarawy takes a shot. Victor Valdes makes a comfortable save.

7:45

M'Baye Niang concedes a free kick for a foul on Gerard Pique. Gerard Pique restarts play with the free kick.

6:05

Centre by da Silva Dani Alves, clearance by Massimo Ambrosini.

4:45

Assist on the goal came from Hernandez Xavi.

4:45 Goal scored

Goal - Lionel Messi - Barcelona 1 - 0 AC Milan Lionel Messi fires in a goal from the edge of the area to the top left corner of the goal. Barcelona 1 (1)-(2) 0 AC Milan.

4:17

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Sergio Busquets by Kevin-Prince Boateng. Sergio Busquets restarts play with the free kick.

0:00

The referee gets the match started.

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