Champions League: Messi Finally Scores Against Cech, Bayern Gets Two Away Goals

Lionel Messi fired Barcelona to a 2-0 away victory over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday to give them the advantage in their Champions League last-16 tie making it the first time the Argentine would be scoring against Peter Cech.
Luis Enrique's men took the lead after 72 minutes of play as Messi grabbed his first for the night when the MSN trident combined, ending in Neymar squaring to Messi for the Argentine to smash home the opener. Luis Suarez came close to making it 1-0 for Barca on the stroke of half time, but he headed narrowly wide from a Dani Alves cross. Messi was on hand to give the Catalan side a comfortable lead, though, when Mathieu Flamini brought him down inside the box, allowing the Ballon d'Or holder to slot home from the penalty spot.

In the other match of the night, Paulo Dybala and Stefano Sturaro both scored their maiden Champions League goals as host Juventus came back from a 2-0 deficit to secure a 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich. Bayern looked to be coasting to a fourth straight win over their Italian opponents when they went two goals up with Thomas Muller and Arjen Robben getting the goals.

Juventus produced a dramatic recovery in the final half-hour, starting with Dybala halving the deficit with a cool finish following a defensive mistake by the German side. The comeback was complete when substitute Sturaro scored just seven minutes after coming on, the midfielder turning home fellow replacement Alvaro Morata’s header across the face of goal.

Full Time Results

Arsenal 0- 2 Barcelona

Juventus 2- 2 Bayern Munich

Return League Fixtures

Bayern Munich v Juventus March 16

Barcelona v Arsenal - March 16