<p>Messi scored twice, including a 13th-minute stunner that set the Catalans on their way, and was instrumental in the second goal from Pedro, before Bojan Krkic sealed a 5-1 aggregate win. <br /><br />In the night’s other game, Girondins Bordeaux survived a second-half scare to grab a 2-1 win over Olympiakos Piraeus on Wednesday and give France a second team in the quarterfinals. Barca's victory sent them through to the last eight for a third successive season and salvaged some honour for Spain after the elimination of La Liga sides Real Madrid and Sevilla. <br /><br />The excitement during the match was supplied by the beguiling skill of Messi. After collecting the ball just inside the visitors' half, he raced towards the retreating Stuttgart defence before unleashing a left-foot shot that fizzed past goalkeeper Jens Lehmann high into the net. <br /><br />The FIFA World Player of the Year turned creator nine minutes later. A superbly weighted pass sent Yaya Toure clear on the left and forward Pedro timed his run to perfection to sweep home the Ivory Coast midfielder's low cross. <br /><br />More smart work from Messi set up Toure in the 55th but his low drive flew just wide of Lehmann's right-hand post. Messi beat Lehmann again with a low strike from the edge of the area on the hour, his eighth goal in four matches in all competitions, to end Stuttgart's hopes. As Barca asserted their dominance, a rampant Messi almost completed his hat-trick with a header in the 68th, well saved by Lehmann, before Krkic wrapped things up a minute after replacing Andres Iniesta. <br /><br />Stuttgart coach Christian Gross said Real's elimination by Olympique Lyon last week had probably been an extra motivation for the Barca players. The draw for the quarterfinals is on Friday and on this evidence, Barcelona will again be the team to avoid. <br /><br />Bordeaux through<br />In the other game Bordeaux, leading 1-0 from the first leg, went further clear through an early Yoann Gourcuff free-kick and with the visitors down to 10 men from the 60th minute, they appeared to have the tie firmly in hand. <br /><br />Not so. The Greek side levelled through Kostas Mitroglou in the 65th minute and Bordeaux were reeling when captain Alou Diarra was sent off three minutes later. <br />Bordeaux held their nerve, though, and a goal from Marouane Chamakh two minutes from time sealed a 3-1 aggregate win that took them through along with Olympique Lyon -- the first time France have had two teams in the quarterfinals since 2004. <br />Bordeaux got off to a dream start, Gourcuff scoring from the edge of the box with a whipped free-kick into the far top corner. <br /><br />Laurent Blanc's side, who had conceded only two goals from eight games in the competition, could have secured their qualification before the break. <br />Gourcuff collected a lobbed pass from Benoit Tremoulinas before rushing through the defence only to be denied by goalkeeper Antonis Nikopolidis, who dived at his feet, in the 40th minute. Four minutes later, the former AC Milan player fired another free-kick that smashed the bar. <br /><br />Olympiakos, reduced to 10 men when Matt Derbyshire was sent off for a second booking with an hour gone, looked thoroughly beaten but turned the tide. <br />Mitroglou fired home a stunning volley from a throw-in and Bordeaux were also reduced to 10 men when Diarra got his second yellow card. <br />Bordeaux's game deteriorated but the French champions held on until Chamakh sealed their progress when he headed home at the far post from a Tremoulinas cross. <br />Olympiakos even ended up with nine men when Olof Mellberg was sent off long after the 90 minutes were up.<br /></p>
<p>Messi scored twice, including a 13th-minute stunner that set the Catalans on their way, and was instrumental in the second goal from Pedro, before Bojan Krkic sealed a 5-1 aggregate win. <br /><br />In the night’s other game, Girondins Bordeaux survived a second-half scare to grab a 2-1 win over Olympiakos Piraeus on Wednesday and give France a second team in the quarterfinals. Barca's victory sent them through to the last eight for a third successive season and salvaged some honour for Spain after the elimination of La Liga sides Real Madrid and Sevilla. <br /><br />The excitement during the match was supplied by the beguiling skill of Messi. After collecting the ball just inside the visitors' half, he raced towards the retreating Stuttgart defence before unleashing a left-foot shot that fizzed past goalkeeper Jens Lehmann high into the net. <br /><br />The FIFA World Player of the Year turned creator nine minutes later. A superbly weighted pass sent Yaya Toure clear on the left and forward Pedro timed his run to perfection to sweep home the Ivory Coast midfielder's low cross. <br /><br />More smart work from Messi set up Toure in the 55th but his low drive flew just wide of Lehmann's right-hand post. Messi beat Lehmann again with a low strike from the edge of the area on the hour, his eighth goal in four matches in all competitions, to end Stuttgart's hopes. As Barca asserted their dominance, a rampant Messi almost completed his hat-trick with a header in the 68th, well saved by Lehmann, before Krkic wrapped things up a minute after replacing Andres Iniesta. <br /><br />Stuttgart coach Christian Gross said Real's elimination by Olympique Lyon last week had probably been an extra motivation for the Barca players. The draw for the quarterfinals is on Friday and on this evidence, Barcelona will again be the team to avoid. <br /><br />Bordeaux through<br />In the other game Bordeaux, leading 1-0 from the first leg, went further clear through an early Yoann Gourcuff free-kick and with the visitors down to 10 men from the 60th minute, they appeared to have the tie firmly in hand. <br /><br />Not so. The Greek side levelled through Kostas Mitroglou in the 65th minute and Bordeaux were reeling when captain Alou Diarra was sent off three minutes later. <br />Bordeaux held their nerve, though, and a goal from Marouane Chamakh two minutes from time sealed a 3-1 aggregate win that took them through along with Olympique Lyon -- the first time France have had two teams in the quarterfinals since 2004. <br />Bordeaux got off to a dream start, Gourcuff scoring from the edge of the box with a whipped free-kick into the far top corner. <br /><br />Laurent Blanc's side, who had conceded only two goals from eight games in the competition, could have secured their qualification before the break. <br />Gourcuff collected a lobbed pass from Benoit Tremoulinas before rushing through the defence only to be denied by goalkeeper Antonis Nikopolidis, who dived at his feet, in the 40th minute. Four minutes later, the former AC Milan player fired another free-kick that smashed the bar. <br /><br />Olympiakos, reduced to 10 men when Matt Derbyshire was sent off for a second booking with an hour gone, looked thoroughly beaten but turned the tide. <br />Mitroglou fired home a stunning volley from a throw-in and Bordeaux were also reduced to 10 men when Diarra got his second yellow card. <br />Bordeaux's game deteriorated but the French champions held on until Chamakh sealed their progress when he headed home at the far post from a Tremoulinas cross. <br />Olympiakos even ended up with nine men when Olof Mellberg was sent off long after the 90 minutes were up.<br /></p>
