Champions League round-up: Beautiful Barcelona send disappointing AC Milan home

A brace from Lionel Messi and one apiece from David Villa and Jordi Alba gave Barcelona a 4-0 win over AC Milan to send them through to the Champions League quarter-finals, 4-2 on aggregate.

Barcelona had started the tie with all guns blazing and it only took five minutes for them to open the scoring through record-breaker Messi. Surrounded by four Milan players he found some space and scored with his left foot from the edge of the box.

Once they had the lead on the night, it was pretty much all Barcelona as visiting goalkeeper Christian Abbiati pushed Andres Iniesta’s shot onto the bar and Messi headed the rebound just wide of the post.

Milan had a chance to extend their aggregate lead through M'Baye Niang, but the striker was unable to beat home goalkeeper Victor Valdes.

The home side raced straight up to the other end and doubled their lead in the 39^th minute as the Argentine collected his brace. Once again he scored from the edge of the box, after a sublime pass by Iniesta.

The visitors never really got back into the game and David Villa scored his first goal since November, finding the far corner of the net after connecting with Xavi cross.

Defender Jordi Alba got the fourth goal two minutes into injury time as the La Liga leaders continue to challenge for another Champions League.

In tonight's other game Schalke lost 3-2 at home to Galatasary, to send the Turkish club through to the next round, 4-3 on aggregate.

Schalke scored first in the 17^th minute through midfielder Roman Neustädter, before Hamit Altıntop leveled for Galatasary in the 37^th minute. Burak Yilmaz gave the visitors the lead just before half-time only for Michel Bastos to get Schalke back into the game just past the hour.

But an injury time goal from Umut Bulut gave the Turkish side the goal they needed to seal their route into the last-eight.