World Class Lionel Messi torches Arsenal for four goals

Lionel Messi once again showed why he is considered the premier player on the planet as he torched Arsenal for a ridiculous four goals.  The FC Barcelona 4-1 victory sent Arsenal crashing out of the Champions League and sets up a Barca showdown with Jose Mourinho and Inter Milan in a semifinal.

Coming into the game the sides were tied 2-2 on aggregate with Barcelona holding the edge on away goals.  Arsenal knew they were going to need to find the net at some point and they sent shockwaves through the Spanish crowd when Nicklas Bendtner pounced on his rebounded shot putting it past Victor Valdes in the 18th minute.

The lead was shortlived though as Lionel Messi completely took over the Champions League quarterfinal.  In the 21st Messi struck for his first.  After making a darting run Messi pounced on a pour clearance and rifled a shot past Almunia into the top right of the net tying the game.

Fifteen minutes he would add his second.  Messi sent Eric Abidal into the Arsenal box with a nice pass.  Abidal cut the ball back into the 18 where a deflection from an Arsenal defender fell right to Messi who touched right and fired home.

The killer came just three minutes before the half.   Abidal put a header in behind the Arsenal backline for a racing Lionel Messi who cleverly flicked over the onruching Almunia and into the empty net completing his first half hattrick.

The game settled in the second half as FC Barcelona let loose with their trademark possession game keeping the ball for long stretches of play and forcing Arsenal to chase.  With time running out, Messi would notch his fourth goal of the game cutting into the Arsenal box and firing through the legs of Almunia from close range.  It was a historic night for the young Barca stud whose name is quickly turning to legend.