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Barca into the Champions League last 8 despite missed chances against Manchester City

Xinhua, March 19, 2015 Adjust font size:

FC Barcelona qualified for the quarter-finals for the Champions League after beating Manchester City 1-0 in the Camp Nou Stadium.

The win could have been more comfortable had Barca taken more of the host of chances they created, while the result means there are now no English sides in the last eight of the tournament.

Barca are the third Spanish side to make it into the last eight after Real Madrid qualified last week and Atletico Madrid went through on penalties on Tuesday night.

Defending a 2-1 lead from the first leg, Barcelona fielded their strongest available side with Javier Mascherano pushed into midfield for the injured Sergio Busquets and Jeremy Mathieu in midfield.

Manchester City meanwhile played David Silva behind Kun Aguero in attack, but Aguero had to feed on scraps in a first half which Barcelona dominated from start to finish.

Neymar hit the post when he should have scored after five minutes, before Leo Messi sent two free kicks narrowly over the crossbar.

The Argentinean played a key role in setting up Ivan Rakitic to open the score on the half hour, sending over a cross-field pass which Rakitic controlled before lobbing over Joe Hart in the City goal.

Barca had two more chances to extend their lead before the break, as Messi slipped the ball just wide and then Luis Suarez saw his effort bounce agonizingly back off the post in the 45th minute.

Manchester City brought on Jesus Navas for the erratic Samir Nasri for the second half, but Barca again started strongly with Jordi Alba and Messi seeing shots saved by the impressive Joe Hart.

Barca then lost control of the midfield for a period and Aguero almost had a chance after Ter Stegen went walkabout.

The game then opened up completely as Suarez sent a shot into the side netting and Neymar missed a pair of excellent chances as Hart again made excellent blocks.

The misses looked as if they would come back to haunt Barca when Manchester City got a penalty for a Pique foul on Aguero. But the striker picked himself up and saw his powerful spot kick saved by Stegen.

Hart again denied Suarez, in the closing minutes and produced another brilliant stop to deny Messi before the final whistle. Endite