Barcelona's
Lionel Messi walks amongst Madrid players reacting after winning their
Champions League quarter-final second leg soccer match in Madrid, April
9, 2014.
When the dust has settled on Wednesday's shock Champions League exit at the hands of Atletico Madrid, one question that will be on the lips of many Barcelona fans is: where was Lionel Messi?
The Argentina forward and four-times World Player of the Year barely threatened the Atletico goal at the Calderon as Barca fell behind to Koke's fifth-minute volley and were unable to turn around the 2-1 aggregate scoreline.
Messi has so often shone on the biggest stage in club soccer but was again superbly marshalled by the Atletico players and has not scored a goal against the Madrid club in their last six meetings in all competitions.
Barca coach Gerardo Martino appeared to deploy his compatriot on the right of a three-man attack, away from his usual central position, with Cesc Fabregas roving in the middle and Neymar mainly on the left.
Koke
of Club Atletico de Madrid celebrates scoring the opening goal with
David Villa of Club Atletico de Madrid during the UEFA Champions League
Quarter Final second leg match between Club Atletico de Madrid and FC
Barcelona at Vicente Calderon Stadium on April 9, 2014 in Madrid, Spain.
Messi skewed a shot high and wide in the third minute, missed with a
header in the 13th and sent a low effort past the post in the 24th from
Neymar's cross but faded out of the rest of the game and was unable to
rescue Barca in the way he has done so many times before.
It was a strangely subdued performance and Spanish media reported the normally electric Messi had run only 6.8 kilometres during the game, only 1.5 kms more than Barca goalkeeper Jose Manuel Pinto.
"We wanted Messi to be in a position to take on defenders in a one-on-one from the right wing," Martino, who comes from Messi's home town of Rosario, told a news conference.
"He did not feature much in the game but he did have those two chances with the header and after great play from Neymar."
It was a strangely subdued performance and Spanish media reported the normally electric Messi had run only 6.8 kilometres during the game, only 1.5 kms more than Barca goalkeeper Jose Manuel Pinto.
"We wanted Messi to be in a position to take on defenders in a one-on-one from the right wing," Martino, who comes from Messi's home town of Rosario, told a news conference.
"He did not feature much in the game but he did have those two chances with the header and after great play from Neymar."
Barca's elimination means they failed in their bid for a
record-extending seventh consecutive appearance in the last four of
Europe's elite club competition.
However, after beating Atletico to claim the season-opening Spanish Super Cup, they still have a chance of two more titles this term.
They are a point behind Atletico in La Liga with six games left and play arch rivals Real Madrid in next Wednesday's King's Cup final in Valencia.
However, after beating Atletico to claim the season-opening Spanish Super Cup, they still have a chance of two more titles this term.
They are a point behind Atletico in La Liga with six games left and play arch rivals Real Madrid in next Wednesday's King's Cup final in Valencia.
Barcelona's
Lionel Messi takes part in a training session at the Vicente Calderon
stadium in Madrid on April 8, 2014, on the eve of the UEFA Champions
League quarter-final second leg football match Club Atletico de Madrid
vs FC Barcelona.
Martino conceded that Atletico had deserved to go through on Wednesday.
"In reality, the moments when we couldn't do what we had planned, what Barcelona normally does, are to do with the virtues of our opponent," he said.
"Their intensity, the way they defend, the number of players closing ranks near their penalty area.
"At times it is hard to find the depth. We tried in any way we could, including by making some changes, but obviously we couldn't do it."
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