MANCHESTER, Feb 19 (AFP): Goals by Lionel Messi and Dani Alves saw Barcelona take control of their Champions League last 16 tie against Manchester City with a 2-0 win in Tuesday's first leg.
Knockout-phase debutants City matched Barcelona in the first half at the Etihad Stadium, but the game changed early in the second period when Martin Demichelis was sent off following a last-man foul on Messi.
The Argentine scored from the ensuing penalty in the 54th minute, taking his tally of goals in this season's competition to seven.
Despite being a man down, City continued to threaten, but in the final minute Alves ran through to score, leaving Barcelona firmly in the driving seat ahead of the return leg on March 12.
"I'm happy with the result," said Barcelona manager Gerardo Martino.
"We've played very well in the first 90 minutes, but I say 90 minutes because the tie will last 180 minutes. We'll play the second leg as if the score is 0-0."
City manager Manuel Pellegrini strongly criticised referee Jonas Eriksson, claiming that Sergio Busquets should have been penalised for a foul on Jesus Navas in the build-up to the penalty and that Demichelis's foul on Messi had occurred outside the box.
"I think that the referee decided the game," he said.
"Before the penalty there was the foul on Navas, when he (Eriksson) was three metres from the player, so he saw it without any problem.
"From the beginning I felt that the referee was not impartial to both teams. The penalty on Martin Demichelis was not a penalty-it was outside the box."
Messi, Alves give Barca edge over 10-man City
FE Team | Published: February 20, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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