FC Barcelona keeps making history
Barça are through to the UEFA Champions League quarter finals for the fourth year running –something only Manchester United have equalled over the period. Another historic achievement for Guardiola’s team.
Barcelona (FCB).- Once more the team have made it to the last eight of the Champions League - the fourth time in four years . Guardiola has taken the team to the pinnacle of the European game with some fantastic football and their record over the last four seasons has only been equalled by Manchester United.
Regulars in the last eight
The team took a step closer to this year’s Wembley final with the win over Arsenal, which took them into the last eight for yet another time. Since 2007/08, Barça have seen off Celtic, Lyon, Stuttgart and Arsenal to make it through to the quarter finals.
Only United match Barça
Sir Alex Ferguson’s team have also become a standard fixture in the UCL quarter finals, having made it through every season since 2006/07, beating Lille, Lyon, Inter and AC Milan on the way. Next week they will face Marseilles at Old Trafford in the second leg of their last 16 tie, following the goalless draw in France, and a win in that game will make it five years on the run in the last eight.
Arsenal don’t quite make it
Arsenal would have matched Barça’s record if they’d made it through this year, having featured in the quarter finals in each of the previous three seasons, but Messi, Xavi and co made sure that their run ended at the Nou Camp on Tuesday.
THE DETAIL
Messi on target every year
Over the last four seasons, Leo Messi has always scored in the last 16 games: he got two in Glasgow against Celtic, 1 against Lyon and two against Stuttgart and Arsenal at the Nou Camp – 7 of the team’s 19 goals at this stage of the competition.