New Delhi: A disappointing performance by the European giants AC Milan and the FC Barcelona saw them play out a goalless draw at the first leg of the of UEFA Champions League played at the San Siro, Rome.
The match between the holders Barcelona and Italian Serie A leaders Milan promised to deliver but it only flattered to deceive. Even though both the teams had some of the best players in international football failed to stand up to their reputation and the biggest disappointment of them was the Argentine Lionel Messi. Worldplayer of the Year, Messi lacked his killer instinct and went goalless after being on the score sheet for the last nine matches.
Their chances of qualifying to the last four remains pretty open and even though Milan would have a tough task at hand to shake off Barcelona at Nou Camp where they would play the return leg, a draw with a goal would see them topple the holders from their reign.
The serie A leaders should have gone up in the match early on but Robinho missed a sitter when Zlatan Abramohivic headed a ball to him only for the Brazilian to shot it way over the bars. Barcelona who had the lion’s share when it came to ball possession came pretty close to scoring in the 17 minute but the linesman waved the flag and Messi was ruled offside. Three minutes Milan probably got the best chance of the match, when Zlatan Abramohibic’s took a shot off Clarence Seedorf, but his efforts were nullified by the Barca custodian Victor Valdes who made a good save to his team the blushes.
Nothing much happened in the first half and after the change of ends, with Barcelona increasing the tempo but never could pose a serious threat to the well organized Milan’s defence. The champions came close to scoring on two occasions in the second half.
Carlos Puyol’s powerful header went past the post in the 78th minute and just two minutes from the time Messi’s shot was saved by Christian Abbiati, which rebounded and Cristian Tello took a powerful only to see it getting blocked.
Meanwhile in the other quarter final, goal each by Mario Gomez and Arjen Robben Bayern Munich saw them winning at the Olympique Marseille and take a huge step forward towards the semis spot.
By Indian Sports News Network
