Barcelona is Back

- Barca’s win makes them the first team in the Champions League to ever overturn a two-goal first leg deficit without the benefit of an away goal.

- Blaugrana, who enjoyed 65% of possession, created 13 goal-scoring chances and attempted 11 shots, seven of them on target.

- AC Milan had 35% possession and had six shots on goal — three of them on target.

- Barcelona attempted 730 passes, out of which 573 were completed. This is lower than their season average of 829.62 passes. Their season high is an incredible 999 passes.

Barcelona attempted 730 passes, out of which 573 were completed. Getty Images

- AC Milan attempted 387 passes, and completed only 62% of them (238). Their season average is 520.41 passes and their season high is 598.

- In the last three seasons, Lionel Messi has scored 33 goals in 32 appearances in the Champions League.

- Barcelona made 84 delivery/solo runs, out of which 74 were in the attacking third. 62 of these were into the key areas of Milan.

- Milan made just 29 such runs. Only 10 of these came in the key areas.

- Messi‘s goal, after five minutes, was his second fastest in Champions League history, only his fourth minute strike against Basel in 2008 was quicker.

- AC Milan’s best passer was Philippe Mexes — their centre-back, with an accuracy rate of 73%. Ricardo Montolivo, their centre-midfielder, had an accuracy rate of 64%. He attempted just 47 passes.

- In contrast, Barcelona’s creative epicenters Xavi and Andres Iniesta 213 passes in total. 178 of these were successful. Their best passer was Sergio Busquets, with 87% of his passes finding their intended target.

- Barcelona 4-0 AC Milan. Milan equal their biggest loss in all European competitions, excluding European Super Cup.

- It is the sixth time Barcelona progress to the next round (all European competitions) after a first leg loss by at least two goals.

- AC Milan’s biggest loss in Champions League history: 4-0 at Manchester United in March 2010 and 4-0 at Deportivo La Coruña in April 2004. And now, 4-0 by Barcelona in March 2013.

- Lionel Messi scored Barcelona’s 100th goal in the Champions League knock-out phase. Barca are the first club to reach this benchmark.

- Lionel Messi scores his 16th Champions League brace: a Champions League record. Raúl is second on the all-time list with 14.

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