Brilliant Barca get helping hand

BARCELONA are the best side in the world by some distance, and possess its most exciting and devastating player in Lionel Messi, but even the greatest can occasionally do with some assistance from the referee.

Arsenal entered the final half-hour of this compelling Champions League last 16 tie knowing that they had the upper hand over their Catalan hosts having joyously celebrated Sergio Busquets’ header into his own net to retake the lead on aggregate after Cesc Fabregas’ woeful backheel had allowed Messi to open the scoring.

Indeed, they had responded well to Lionel Messi’s stunning finish and when Robin Van Persie went clean through he thought he could tilt the tie decisively in his side’s favour. He shot wide, but that pain was nothing as to when he turned to see referee Massimo Busacca reaching for a second yellow card believing that, as the Dutchman had been flagged offside, he should have heard his whistle and returned the ball instead of wasting time.