PBP: UEFA CL 1/8 1st Leg | Bayer Leverkusen v FC Barcelona | 14 Feb 2012 [R]

Good read on the formerly fearsome Michael Ballack: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/jan/31/leverkusen-michael-ballack

Good win this, could have been even bigger if we didn't mess about with some of the chances we had and had we dealt with that cross. Abidal should have done better there.

They need three at El Camp, don't see it happening. I'd say we're pretty much into the quarterfinals now, just need to do a professional job in the second leg.

Now shift focus back to the league please, tough games against Atletico and Sevilla coming up.

Well that was a terrific scoreline in the end, 3-1. Obviously the first half was all us, but strangely without too much danger. That is, until Messi's delightful lob pass to Sanchez, which he took expertly. Actually all three of our goals were very good. Sanchez did well to round the keeper and then score the second.

How can anyone question Messi's motivation and will to win? That third goal was amazing, the pass, being held back and Alves waiting and waiting to dispatch the ball back over to Messi who scored a beauty.

Iniesta and Busquets were definitely a few notches below their best. Busquets, Fabregas and Alves were careless at times in defense. I think that Alves was the key to the match, he was afforded all the time and space he wanted on the flanks. Did any of you see that around the half hour mark we had about 350 passes and they had 55?

Valdes saved us too, with that amazing fingertip save. Anything less than a win would have been unjust.

Alexis, even after all the injuries, 1 goal away from his top goals in a season in all competitions mark of 12 (last year with Udinese). Nice.

In La Liga? Nothing… game on.

Great gols uh?

I love the 1rst goal ("de macha" as we say here).

I love how poker terminology infiltrates into everyday talk.

Barça dont play so good but wins 3-1 so it means u'r still the best! Dont care about la Liga, shame but it's slipped away now, but u can win the CL and la copa del Rey with Bilbao and never forget who u are and waht Barça did: the history of football!!!!!!!!: