<p>Lionel Messi-inspired Barcelona overwhelmed Manchester City as Ivan Rakitic's strike secured a 1-0 win on Wednesday that sent the Spanish giants into the Champions League quarter-finals 3-1 on aggregate.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Only a magnificent performance by goalkeeper Joe Hart saved City from a heavy defeat and Sergio Aguero's feeble late penalty miss proved insignificant for the outclassed English champions.<br /><br />"I expected City as they played. It was a game with a lot of chances where we could have finished it off a lot earlier," Barca coach Luis Enrique told reporters.<br />"We got what we wanted which was to go through to the next round and I am happy with the display. We played well and this is a big boost for us at this stage of the season."<br /><br />Messi has been in blistering form and he delighted the home fans in a packed Nou Camp by relentlessly teasing the City players with his party tricks.<br /><br />Holding the advantage from the first leg, Barca could afford to sit back and hit the Premier League side on the break.<br /><br />Cool Lob<br /><br />City struggled badly in defence against Barca's pace and movement and the breakthrough came after 31 minutes when Messi found Rakitic who coolly lobbed the ball over Hart.<br /><br />Barca hit the woodwork through Neymar and Luis Suarez, and keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen saved Sergio Aguero's weak penalty in a victory that enabled the Spanish side to reach the quarter-finals for a record eighth successive year.<br /><br />It was the second straight season that City have been knocked out by Barcelona at this stage and meant there will be no English representative in the quarter-finals of Europe's elite competition.<br /><br />City's hopes depended on having a tight defence, but under-fire centre back Vincent Kompany gifted the hosts a golden chance after five minutes, when Dani Alves stole the ball and set up Neymar whose shot came back off the post.<br /><br />Messi had a shot from a tight angle saved by Hart and the Barcelona forward line were on the receiving end of some wild challenges as City tried to keep them at bay.<br /><br />Barca increased their stranglehold on the tie when Messi found Rakitic in space to score and Suarez ran through on goal but was denied by a post.<br /><br />The hosts continued to create clearcut chances in the second half with Neymar missing an excellent opportunity with just the keeper to beat after 75 minutes.<br /><br />Barca were guilty of sitting on their lead and could have been punished had City been more clinical.<br /><br />Gerard Pique was adjudged to have fouled Aguero with 12 minutes to play but Ter Stegen saved the Argentine's tame spot-kick and snuffed out City's last hope of launching a comeback. </p>
<p>Lionel Messi-inspired Barcelona overwhelmed Manchester City as Ivan Rakitic's strike secured a 1-0 win on Wednesday that sent the Spanish giants into the Champions League quarter-finals 3-1 on aggregate.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Only a magnificent performance by goalkeeper Joe Hart saved City from a heavy defeat and Sergio Aguero's feeble late penalty miss proved insignificant for the outclassed English champions.<br /><br />"I expected City as they played. It was a game with a lot of chances where we could have finished it off a lot earlier," Barca coach Luis Enrique told reporters.<br />"We got what we wanted which was to go through to the next round and I am happy with the display. We played well and this is a big boost for us at this stage of the season."<br /><br />Messi has been in blistering form and he delighted the home fans in a packed Nou Camp by relentlessly teasing the City players with his party tricks.<br /><br />Holding the advantage from the first leg, Barca could afford to sit back and hit the Premier League side on the break.<br /><br />Cool Lob<br /><br />City struggled badly in defence against Barca's pace and movement and the breakthrough came after 31 minutes when Messi found Rakitic who coolly lobbed the ball over Hart.<br /><br />Barca hit the woodwork through Neymar and Luis Suarez, and keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen saved Sergio Aguero's weak penalty in a victory that enabled the Spanish side to reach the quarter-finals for a record eighth successive year.<br /><br />It was the second straight season that City have been knocked out by Barcelona at this stage and meant there will be no English representative in the quarter-finals of Europe's elite competition.<br /><br />City's hopes depended on having a tight defence, but under-fire centre back Vincent Kompany gifted the hosts a golden chance after five minutes, when Dani Alves stole the ball and set up Neymar whose shot came back off the post.<br /><br />Messi had a shot from a tight angle saved by Hart and the Barcelona forward line were on the receiving end of some wild challenges as City tried to keep them at bay.<br /><br />Barca increased their stranglehold on the tie when Messi found Rakitic in space to score and Suarez ran through on goal but was denied by a post.<br /><br />The hosts continued to create clearcut chances in the second half with Neymar missing an excellent opportunity with just the keeper to beat after 75 minutes.<br /><br />Barca were guilty of sitting on their lead and could have been punished had City been more clinical.<br /><br />Gerard Pique was adjudged to have fouled Aguero with 12 minutes to play but Ter Stegen saved the Argentine's tame spot-kick and snuffed out City's last hope of launching a comeback. </p>