Barcelona vs. AC Milan: Rating Milan Players in Champions League Quarterfinal

What is lost in the scoreline and all the negativity in last night's 3-1 defeat to Barcelona, is Milan was on top of the tie at one time. Until the second penalty, just before halftime, Milan even had Barcelona on the ropes.

Of course, the second penalty swung the scoreline in the Catalans' favour, and without it the game would have looked much different. It's amazing how a referee's decision can turn the tide of an important match. 

Despite that penalty, Barcelona was the superior team throughout the game. Unlike at San Siro—rough pitch or not—Barcelona was able to get into their passing game early.

Meanwhile, Milan showed the same game plan over the course of both legs, and Barcelona was prepared for it the second time.

But most of all there was a let down by many of the Milan players out on the pitch last night. Here's how each Milan player fared in last night's second leg Champions League quarterfinal.

* 1-10 (1=poor, 10=excellent)

Christian Abbiati, Goalkeeper: 6.5

Barcelona may have scored three times on the night, however, the club could have been even further in front when the game went to halftime, if it wouldn't have been for the Milan goalkeeper. 

Christian Abbiati made numerous saves to keep the Rossoneri in the match, and none were better than his one-handed stab from a ferocious Xavi shot. Many of his best saves were in the first half, and when Andres Iniesta secured Barcelona's third goal, the Italian was left out to dry by his defense.

Throughout the tie, Abbiati was a secure set of gloves behind a shaky defense. Time and again in the second leg he proved to be the difference in Milan conceding goals and keeping the game close. 

Ignazio Abate, Right Back: 4.5

Ignazio Abate missed the first leg due to injury. Many Milan supporters will look back on last night's fixture, and wish he'd missed the second leg as well. 

Abate was atrocious for much of the game. He was continually caught in possession, leading to Barcelona counterattacks. Abate seemed to lack the ability to think quickly enough under pressure. 

His one bright moment during the match was a 60-yard run, taking the ball out of defense and starting a counterattack. This led to a possible penalty that wasn't called when Zlatan Ibrahimovic went down, under Javier Mascherano's challenge. 

Abate's performance paled in comparison to that of teammate Daniele Bonera, who played right back in the first leg.

Philippe Mexes, Centre-Back: 6.0

For the second straight match, Philippe Mexes—and Alessandro Nesta—was able to keep Lionel Messi at bay. Messi was able to get on the ball during the match, however, Mexes was able to stamp out Messi's influence for large parts of the match.

Mexes' distribution from the back wasn't the best, and numerous long balls were sent out of the back from the Frenchman. Nearly every time Milan sent a long ball to their lone central striker, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Barcelona won the ball and put the Italians under pressure again. 

Overall, he was impressive, and has surely won the support of many who thought of him has a liability. Results may have been the same, regardless if Thiago Silva had been next to him in defense. Yet, Silva's leadership and defensive skills may have made all the difference. 

Alessandro Nesta, Centre-Back: 5.5

Take into account Alessandro Nesta is 36 years old, now think about the performance he gave in last night's match and the previous. 

Nesta may have been guilty of the second penalty, but other than that one mistake, the Italian was solid in central defense with Mexes. In Nesta's defense, that penalty is rarely called, and at the same time Nesta tugged on Sergio Busquets' shirt, Nesta was being fouled by Carlos Puyol. The Spaniard delivered a body block on Nesta to prevent him from following Busquets.

Let's not forget tugging happens during every set piece, therefore, referee Bjorn Kuipers should have given one or two more of the same penalties on the night. 

Regardless, Nesta performed admirably on the night. The Italian would most likely have not started if Thiago Silva had been fit, and it was great to see the wily defender get one last Champions League match.

At 36, the two-time Champions League winner will most likely retire after this season. 

Luca Antonini, Left Back: 5.5

Luca Antonini, without a doubt, was man of the match in the first leg. Unfortunately, he couldn't replicate that same form last night. 

The Italian was still good over the course of 90 minutes. However, he was guilty of the penalty that led to Barcelona's first goal. 

Other than that one mistake, Antonini constantly defended well during the match. The 29-year-old has often be maligned by fans and pundits, and was even set to be replaced at the start of the season. 

Barcelona was able to prevent Antonini from getting too far forward in the second leg by pushing Daniel Alves high up the pitch. Alves played as a right-sided midfielder, rather than right back, and his forward runs kept Antonini stuck near his own penalty area. Alves was able to get in a few crosses, but Antonini stood up to him, preventing the Brazilian from completely dominating the right side.

Credit to Pep Guardiola for getting his tactics spot on

Antonio Nocerino, Midfield: 5.5

The Italian midfielder Antonio Nocerino worked hard in the first half, and expertly scored Milan's goal. That goal momentarily put the Rossoneri into the semifinals.

However, it wasn't to be, and Nocerino faded from the game after the interval. His contributions were negligible in the second half, and he and right back Ignazio Abate were at fault for Barcelona's second goal. They allowed Andres Iniesta to stroll past them, and get behind the defense. 

Nocerino went from being the man of the moment, to being an obscure figure over the remainder of the 90 minutes. 

Massimo Ambrosini, Midfield: 6.0

For the second straight match, Massimo Ambrosini protected his two central defenders and prevented the Barcelona attack from cleanly running at them—for the most part.

Ambrosini worked tirelessly throughout the match, and his passing and ball control suffered due to his fatigue from constantly defending. He's never been the quickest player on the pitch, and Barcelona's ability to close down quickly allowed them to catch the Italian in position on occasions.

Ambrosini most likely would have started on the bench in the second leg, if Mark van Bommel had been fit. However, the Italian—who has been at Milan for 17 years—was given the nod. 

His contributions to the side were fantastic, but at 34, his depleted abilities showed through on the night.

Clarence Seedorf, Midfield: 4.0

Clarence Seedorf has had an amazing career, and at 36-years-old, he is in better shape than many football players in their early-20s.

With that said, Seedorf was diabolical in last night's match. His passing was poor throughout the game, and many of his passes were picked off before getting to its target. 

Seedorf, who has obviously slowed down over the years, looked even slower in last night's match. He was a shell of the player that performed a week before in the first leg. 

The Dutchman was pulled off after the hour mark, and it will most likely close his illustrious Champions League career, winning it four times with three different clubs.

Kevin-Prince Boateng, Midfield: 5.0

Kevin-Prince Boateng has emerged as an exciting, attacking talent over the past two seasons. Unfortunately, Boateng exhibited none of this excitement and flair in the the quarterfinal second leg.

Boateng had several good touches in the first half, but as halftime neared, the Ghanaian faded from the match. He was continually jogging when tracking back, leaving his fellow midfielders to deal with the Barcelona attack. 

Boateng rarely dropped deep to get the ball, and seemed more concerned with getting as far forward as possible. He wasn't the link between midfield and attack that he should have been, and Massimiliano Allegri's decision to remove him after 69 minutes came too little, too late.

Robinho, Striker: 6.0

Of Milan's strikers, Robinho was the best of the night. He looked lively, and ready to get on the ball, which was a marked change from the first leg where he looked uninterested after a quarter of an hour. Last night he looked more like the player he has always been billed as, but those expectations are still unfulfilled.

Robinho nearly pulled Milan back into the match when he won the ball in the Barcelona third, only to have been called wrongly for a hand ball. The Brazilian's shot was saved, but if the play hadn't been wrongly whistled dead, Milan would have scored when Kevin-Prince Boateng turned it into the goal. Another what-could-have-been moment.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Striker: 4.5

Zlatan Ibrahimovic looked uninterested for much of the match. He lost the ball several times under weak Barcelona challenges, including an embarrassing mishit in the opening minutes of the game that trickled into touch.

Ibrahimovic's saving grace was his lovely layoff to Antonio Nocerino to stroke home. But like the rest of the squad, he faded from the game when Barcelona was awarded their second penalty in the first half. 

Unlike in the first leg, Ibrahimovic wasn't the dominate figure in the air, and many times in the first period he was dropping into his own half to get the ball. 

The Swede's performance was only more fuel for the fire of the English-speaking press, who will continue to dub the striker as incapable on the big stage.

Alberto Aquilani, Substitute: 5.5

Alberto Aquilani was a breath of fresh air when he replaced Clarence Seedorf after an hour. Aquilani brought an energy to team that had been lacking since Barcelona's second goal.

The Italian was able to string passes together with his teammates, and worked hard to track back, winning several challenges. 

Due to Aquilani returning from injury last weekend, his match fitness was poor, and with Milan chasing the game he wore down quickly. A fit Aquilani may have been a fantastic choice in midfield. Unfortunately, it's increasingly rare he is fit for long stretches. 

Alexandre Pato, Substitute: 1.0

Alexandre Pato gets a one-rating only due to his ability to properly put his kit and boots on. Pato lasted just 14 minutes last night, his first match since January, and limped off yet again as the club chased the game.

Pato barely touched the ball in his fleeting moments on the pitch, and was replaced by Maxi Lopez, which forced the club to change the substitution—Urby Emanuelson— they had planned at the last moment. 

Yesterday, I wrote Pato needed to be involved in the match. I felt he could be a wildcard for the Rossoneri. How wrong I was. 

Maxi Lopez, Substitute: 3.5

Despite only being on the pitch for seven minutes plus injury time, Maxi Lopez looked everything Alexandre Pato did not. 

Lopez had a hunger, and was roaming all over the pitch trying to help the club win the ball back. One moment the Argentine was in the Barcelona third, and the next he was in his own team's third defending and fighting for the ball. 

This may be Lopez's last chance at playing this deep in the Champions League, and unlike Pato, he showed a desire to be out there. Lopez was a breath of fresh air for Milan, though his skills aren't the quality of the club's other strikers, he performed well in his limited time.