Olympique Lyonnais threatened a remarkable comeback at one point before being undone by Lionel Messi as they lost 5-1 in Barcelona on Wednesday to bow out of the UEFA Champions League.
UEFA Champions League last 16, second leg
FC Barcelona 5 – 1 Olympique Lyonnais 
Barcelona win 5-1 on aggregate
THE MATCH
Lyon came to the Camp Nou dreaming of pulling off a famous result following their 0-0 draw at home in the first leg of this last-16 tie last month. However, it was not to be, and they ultimately left themselves with too much to do after a disastrous opening half-hour.
Barcelona came flying out of the blocks and were ahead in the 17th minute as Messi beat Anthony Lopes with a ‘panenka‘ from the penalty spot after a spot-kick was awarded by the Polish referee for a foul on Luis Suárez by Jason Denayer.
The visitors then saw Anthony Lopes succumb to an injury suffered as he dived at the feet of Philippe Coutinho. The goalkeeper initially carried on, and was still on the field to pick the ball out of the net in the 31st minute when Coutinho rolled into an empty net after superb set-up play by Suárez. Moments later, Lopes came off in tears, making way for Mathieu Gorgelin.
Tousart gets away goal
Bruno Genesio’s side managed to get to the interval without conceding again and then regrouped after the restart. They were then handed the lifeline of a precious away goal just before the hour mark – the Barcelona defence failed to clear a Memphis Depay ball into the box, and Sergio Busquets’ attempted header fell to Lucas Tousart, who chested the ball down and swept home (58′).
It took three minutes for that goal to be validated by the Video Assistant Referee, but it stood, and a nervous spell followed for the hosts. Genesio, threw on Bertrand Traoré and Maxwel Cornet as they went for it, but Messi took control in the closing stages.
Late collapse
He made it 3-1 in the 78th minute, leaving Marcelo on the floor as he changed direction twice before slotting home from 12 yards, with Gorgelin getting a touch but not enough. Lyon then crumbled as Messi’s superb ball across the face of goal was turned into an empty net by Gerard Piqué (81′).
Insult was added to injury for Lyon and their 5,000 travelling fans when Messi set up substitute Ousmane Dembélé to sweep in the fifth, under Gorgelin, with four minutes to go. Barcelona march on into the quarter-final draw, as for the second season running French interest in the Champions League ends in the last 16.
THE PLAYER: Anthony Lopes
Marcelo took the field for Lyon after shaking off a hamstring injury, but Lopes lasted little more than half an hour after hurting himself diving at the feet of Philippe Coutinho. The Portuguese international came off crying – he had just conceded a second goal that had already left OL with a huge mountain to climb. It may be harsh on Mathieu Gorgelin, but perhaps the final score would not have made for such ugly reading had Lopes not been hurt.
THE STAT: 200
Lucas Tousart’s goal was Lyon’s 200th in the Champions League. Sonny Anderson got their first, against SC Heerenveen back in 2000.
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