Arsenal were left with a sense of
injustice after seeing Robin van
Persie controversially sent off as
they were knocked out of the
Champions League again by
Barcelona in the Camp Nou
following a 3-1 loss.
- Lomas: Wenger's failed
philosophy - Van Persie blasts
'joke' ref - Szczesny has
dislocated finger
The Dutchman was a shock
inclusion for the Gunners, who led
2-1 from the first leg, having
recovered quicker than expected
from the knee injury he sustained
in the Carling Cup final.
However, moments after an own
goal from Sergio Busquets had
cancelled out Lionel Messi's fine
opener following a terrible
mistake by Cesc Fabregas, van
Persie was given his marching
orders by Swiss referee Massimo
Busacca.
Van Persie had already been
booked in the first half and was
shown a second yellow card for
lashing the ball towards goal
after a marginal offside call which
the Arsenal striker claimed he
could not hear.
Barcelona took full advantage,
with Xavi and then Messi's
penalty putting the tie beyond
Arsene Wenger's men, who were
left to reflect on what might
have been and must now regroup
for Saturday's FA Cup quarter-
final at Barclays Premier League
title rivals Manchester United.
As expected, Barcelona went on
the offensive from kick-off,
cheered on by a passionate
95,000-strong crowd in the Nou
Camp.
Laurent Koscielny made an
important early block on Pedro
and when the visitors did get
possession, they were greeted by
a cacophony of deafening
whistles.
Koscielny and Jack Wilshere
combined to deny Messi after, in
a sign of things to come, Arsenal
again gave away possession far
too cheaply.
The Gunners were forced into a
change on 16 minutes when
goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny had
to be replaced by Manuel Almunia
after injuring his left hand making
a routine save from Daniel Alves'
long-range free-kick.
Barcelona continued to press
Arsenal back, with Johan Djourou
producing a superb saving tackle
to deny Xavi with Pedro drilling
the loose ball over the crossbar.
Barcelona then almost fluked an
opening goal on 35 minutes when
a curled cross from left-back
Adriano struck the outside of the
near post.
Tempers boiled over when
Wilshere went to ground as he
stretched for a loose ball at the
edge of the Barcelona penalty
area, the home players claiming a
dive which led to van Persie and
former Liverpool midfielder Javier
Mascherano squaring up before
calm was eventually restored.
Van Persie had not calmed down
and picked up a needless yellow
card on the stroke of half-time
for barging Alves over.
Fabregas, returning to his
boyhood club for the first time,
then inexplicably tried to
backheel the ball to Wilshere on
the edge the Arsenal penalty
area, but gave it straight to
Andres Iniesta.
Messi - who netted all four
Barcelona goals in last season's
game here - was away, and
brilliantly chipped Almunia before
lashing the ball into the empty
net.
Arsenal looked to be facing an
uphill battle for the second half,
but were presented with a lifeline
on 53 minutes.
Samir Nasri got away down the
left and won a corner which he
swung into the six-yard box
where Busquets headed it past
his own goalkeeper.
The tie then took another twist
when van Persie latched onto a
throughball, but was ruled
offside, which looked marginal.
The Holland forward lashed the
ball wide and was shown a second
yellow card, swiftly followed by a
red.
Van Persie and the Arsenal
players could not believe it, as
the striker claimed he could not
hear the whistle.
Barcelona started the onslaught
almost immediately, with first
David Villa and then Messi denied
by a couple of brave blocks from
Almunia.
The Catalans finally regained the
advantage on 68 minutes when
Xavi slotted home after being
played in following a quick
exchange between Iniesta and
Villa.
Before Arsenal could regroup,
Barcelona were awarded a
penalty when Koscielny tripped
Pedro and Messi slotted it into
the bottom corner to put
Barcelona within touching
distance of the last eight.
Wenger sent on Andrey Arshavin
and then Nicklas Bendtner,
replacing Fabregas, but it was
more in hope than expectation.
Almunia denied Barcelona another
goal with good blocks from Messi
and substitute Ibrahim Afellay.
Bendtner was agonisingly close to
connecting with Wilshere's cross
into the six-yard box, but it was
not to be for the Gunners.
OTHER SCORES
Final - Shakhtar Donetsk 3-0 AS
Roma
May 10, 2011, 03:14:34 AM