Give Barcelona an inch, and the five-time European champion will take a mile.
Few sides will understand that better than Chelsea, who on Wednesday slumped out of the Champions League last-16 stage courtesy of a 3-0 second-leg defeat at the Camp Nou.
Lionel Messi gave the host a third-minute lead, and instead of withdrawing into its habitual defensive shell, Chelsea was on the front foot. Eden Hazard, Willian, and Olivier Giroud were the principal parts of an attack probing Barcelona’s backline in search of an equaliser, and the Blues appeared the more likely of the two sides to score next.
And then, for the umpteenth time in a celebrated career, Messi happened.
The magical Argentine found a surging Ousmane Dembele, whose first goal for the Catalan giant doubled its lead in the 20th minute, giving Barcelona a 3-1 advantage on aggregate.
Same story, different half, as Chelsea showed attacking intent after the break only for Barcelona to take full advantage of the littlest opportunities. Cesar Azpilicueta played an uncharacteristically poor pass under pressure from Andre Gomes that Jordi Alba intercepted and found Messi, who …read more