Photo AP
Luis Suarez condemned Arsenal to another early exit in the Champions League on Wednesday evening
Luis Suarez scored a sensational volley in the second half to seal their fate
Twitter users reminded Arsene Wenger of his failings in Europe once again
Story and twits after cut .......
The rain fell in Spain as Arsenal disappeared down the drain. Again. For 14 minutes, there was just a sniff of a miracle recovery. Mohamed Elneny struck early in the second-half to make it 1-1 on the night and Barcelona wobbled.
Arsene Wenger’s team bristled briefly with rare purpose and then Luis Suarez restored order in acrobatic style, twisting in mid-air to turn a volley into the top corner. Lionel Messi added a third, to give the aggregate score a five-goal gloss.
And that was that, Arsenal are out of the Champions League in the first knock-out round for the sixth successive year.
Arsenal crashed out of the Champions League at the last-16 stage again and their supporters couldn't hide their dismay at another early exit.
Luis Suarez put the game beyond doubt with an emphatic bicycle kick, before Messi added insult to injury with a late third goal.
Twitter users were keen to remind Arsene Wenger that he is yet to deliver Champions League glory, despite Mohamed Elneny offering him brief respite in the second half with a fabulous first goal for the club.
Arsene Wenger is mocked up in a Mission Impossible pose by Bleacher Report as they label it 'Farce Nation'
Arsenal have never won the Champions League and Football Trolls reminded us of that with this viral image
There were six changes made to the starting lineup which suffered defeat to Watford in the FA Cup but the result still remained the same on Wednesday evening.
An exit in first knock-out round stage of the Champions League for a sixth successive year will inevitably put Wenger under serious scrutiny and the mocked up images illustrate just that.
Arsenal struggled to deliver when it really mattered most at the Nou Camp. Emmanuel Petit suggested he should step down before the match and called for him to let a former player take the reigns and the fans may very well be agreeing with him now.
Photo: Reuters
Lionel Messi capped the win with a trademark dink over David Ospina to put the gloss on the result as Barcelona progressed
Photo: Getty Images
The Argentine lifts the ball over the Arsenal goalkeeper to make it 5-1 on aggregate as Barca confirmed their place in the last eight
Photo: EMPICS Sport
Luis Suarez showed incredible agility as he volleyed Dani Alves' cross into the top corner to give Barcelona a 2-1 lead on the night
Arsenal were also shown to heading in the opposite direction to the road to Champions League glory
Genius Football created a scenario whereLionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar chased Arsenal down a street
BBC Sporf were left in no doubt that Arsenal were always going to struggle to overcome Barcelona
Wenger on an inflatable slide was used by several Twitter users to highlight Arsenal's European exit
Wenger was shown in a heap on the floor with his bags by his side as Arsenal exited the Champions League
Ian Wright admitted the pressure was on his former side, before the game had even started ,when he said: 'It’s bigger now. The league form hasn’t helped. This is the sort of game that can take their minds off it.'
It soon intensified during the match when Arsenal struggled to deal with the occasion and Jordi Alba' nutmeg on Hector Bellerin was a symbol of the humiliation of the defeat in Spain.
Fears over Mathieu Flamini's temperament before kick-off wer also realised as he was subbed before the break having been booked.
Bleacher Report summed up the mood of the night when they showed Wenger in Mission Impossible pose and labelled the movie ' Farce Nation' as Arsenal were rattled once more.
Photo: Reuters
Germany international playmaker Ozil carries the ball forward as he looks to set up an opportunity for the visitors
Photo: Getty Images
Barcelona manager Luis Enrique watches from the comfort of the dugout as the rain comes down at the Nou Camp
QUARTER-FINALISTS
PSG
Benfica
Manchester City
Barcelona
Real Madrid
Wolfsburg
Atletico Madrid
Bayern/Juventus
The quarter-final draw will take place Friday, March 18 in Nyon at 11am
Elneny fizzed another past the same post. It was a reminder that Barcelona will always offer opportunities. They are open at the back. The problem is keeping them quiet at the other end.
David Ospina came to the rescue when Neymar unzipped Arsenal with a long pass to Messi, who pulled it out of the sky with a perfect touch on the outside of his left boot and quickly stabbed the ball at goal. Ospina pushed it over, a reflex save which earned a high-five of respect from Messi.
From the corner, Jeremy Mathieu ought to have scored. The Frenchman was completely unmarked but missed the target with his header.
No matter, the pressure told. Koscielny was pressurised into a mistake, gave the ball away and Suarez slid a pass into the space behind Hector Bellerin where Neymar arrived to convert with little fuss.
It proved to be a testing homecoming for Bellerin, Barcelona born and raised and schooled at the Nou Camp before moving to London at 16. He stuck at the task but was poorly protected by Alexis Sanchez and regularly overloaded by the attacking intent of Barca’s left back Jordi Alba.
Photo: BPI/James Marsh
Neymar attempts to beat Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielney but the Frenchman stands firm before ushering the Brazilian out of play
Photo: Reuters
Space opened up for Ozil as Arsenal launched a counter attack but the former Real Madrid midfielder could only fire wide of the target
Photo: EMPICS Sport
Messi pulled the ball out of the sky with a brilliant touch before volleying an effort from close range but found David Ospina in his way
Photo: Reuters
The Arsenal goalkeeper made himself big and deflected Messi's effort over the bar and out for a Barcelona corner
Photo: AFP/Getty Images
Messi his powerful strike fly over the bar via the body of Ospina when it looked more likely that the net would bulge
Photo: AP
Neymar tucks the finish past Ospina after collecting Suarez's pass in the Arsenal penalty area despite pressure from Bellerin
Photo: AFP/Getty Images
Barcelona celebrate the opening goal in the background as Arsenal players Welbeck (near) and Bellerin head back to their positions
Flamini was shown a yellow card for flattening Andres Iniesta as frustration boiled over and Gabriel Paulista booked for dissent, apparently complaining to referee Sergei Karasev for failing to award a penalty when Iwobi appeared to trip himself up.
A flurry of Arsenal chances came and went. Mathieu blocked from Elneny and Alexis headed wide from a Bellerin cross. Javier Mascherano produced a terrific tackle to thwart Welbeck.
Wenger replaced Flamini before the break, no doubt concerned about the probability of a second yellow card as he chased shadows around. The French midfielder did not take kindly to the decision, and exchanged words with his manager as he came off the pitch.
He was spotted watching the second half on television in the press conference room.
Photo: Reuters
Sanchez and Ozil wait to restart the game after Arsenal's task became even harder following Neymar's strike
Photo: Getty Images
Arsenal forward Alex Iwobi (right) engineered a shooting opportunity for himself in the Barca box but fired over on the volley
Photo: Reuters
Messi (centre) is crowded out by Gabriel (left) and Mohamed Elneny as the Argentine attempted to waltz his way through the defence
Photo: BT Sport
Iwobi though he should have had a penalty after Javier Mascherano appeared to clip the Arsenal forward's heels inside the box
Photo: Reuters
Sanchez (second right) had a brilliant chance to equalise shortly before half-time but headed wide of the post
Photo: Reuters
A concerned looking Wenger watches on from the touchline as he attempts plots a way back into the tie
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Credit: dailymail
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