Nutmegs, Bookings and Messi's Genius: Twitter Reacts to Barcelona vs. Man City

Manchester City went into Wednesday evening's Champions League tie with Barcelona as the lone bastions of English football in the competition.

The odds, however, were stacked against the petro-dollar fuelled reigning Premier League champions: They needed to score at least two goals against a side who have beaten them on every occasion they have met, and they had lost three of their last four games in all competitions. 

Sadly for fans of the nouveau riche side, the Catalans sent them home empty handed once again.

Before kick off, "Sagna" was trending as French right-back Bacary replaced Pablo Zabaleta in the lineup. Most were not impressed with the decision...

"

Sagna is starting pic.twitter.com/Z9dTRY7xGs

— Dan 7.0 (@DCutchh) March 18, 2015"

"

Thought sagna had retired from football. Smh

— THE BLOODY BUTTERS (@Akin_d) March 18, 2015"

"

Sagna with a selfie stick... lost all faith in him. pic.twitter.com/qSuqfNtINr

— MCFC Info (@MCFClnfo) March 18, 2015"

"

Neymar v Sagna Messi v Kolarov pic.twitter.com/UU5hxvW5Cp

— Dan 7.0 (@DCutchh) March 18, 2015"

"

Imagine Neymar and Messi coming up against Sagna and Kolarov #Carnage

— Neymarred (@Neymarred) March 18, 2015"

As the game began, it became clear the Blaugrana had a former manager watching down on them from the stands...

"

Guardiola at the Camp Nou tonight. pic.twitter.com/aVKuXDSYUQ

— LiveFootball (@livefootball) March 18, 2015"

"

Pep Guardiola will watch the game at the Camp Nou.. The last time he was at the Camp Nou, Messi scored 4 GOALS.. pic.twitter.com/ZuoIDbiv4f

— Leo Messi (@messi10stats) March 18, 2015"

Pep tried his very best not to react to an early chance...

The chance at which Guardiola was attempting to view impartially was Neymar's sixth-minute one-on-one with Joe Hart which ended up with the Brazilian hitting the post. The chance was created by some very poor defending from Vincent Kompany, who immediately started trending on a wave of vitriol... 

"

Another Vincent Kompany masterclass. Got away with one there. https://t.co/vquWWEqaLM

— MUFC Peoples Person (@PeoplesPerson_) March 18, 2015"

"

Kompany is a master illusionist, for making football fans believe that he was a world class defender

— Çhämpãñgê Påpï Jr™ (@The_GreatBob) March 18, 2015"

"

Vincent Kompany after that mistake. https://t.co/fYuojEk5vy

— Football Vines (@Vine_Football) March 18, 2015"

Kompany wasn't the only City star having a 'mare in the first half: Fernandinho suffered two consecutive nutmegs...

"

Neymar with the megs on Fernandinho. #FCB #MCFC pic.twitter.com/G69XPbQF2S

— amadí (@amadoit) March 18, 2015"

"

El caño de Messi a Fernandinho... Adiós https://t.co/wulJFiKkvF

— Ale Padín (@alepadin) March 18, 2015"

"

Fernandinho must be feeling miserable after getting 2 nutmegs already..

— Ryan Babel (@Ryanbabel) March 18, 2015"

All the cool kids were getting nutmegged by Barca players, and soon Aleksandar Kolarov and James Milner joined the party...

"

Leo Messi'nin Kolarov'a attığı çalım sonrası Guardiola pic.twitter.com/XEyCMFg4Nl

— Futbol Vine (@vinefutboltr) March 18, 2015"

"

When you see that Messi nutmeg on James Milner pic.twitter.com/YikdJDN6sd

— Footy Jokes (@Footy_Jokes) March 18, 2015"

City appeared to do very little in the first half an hour except get humiliated and pick up bookings. In the 31st minute, the inevitable opening Barcelona goal came from Ivan Rakitic, who found himself in acres of space when Leo Messi drew out the defence and played a fantastic through ball to him...

"

The pass and vision from Messi and then the touch and finish from Rakitic. Ridiculous! https://t.co/3EHdbMQTWX

— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) March 18, 2015"

"

Made by Messi finished by rakitic 1-0 pic.twitter.com/BqSe4yzMEf

— Troll Football (@Troll__Football) March 18, 2015"

Manchester City went into half-time fortunate to be just a goal down. In 45 minutes of football defined by nutmegs, City bookings and the home side hitting the post, the biggest takeaway was Lionel Messi's form. The diminutive Argentinian was clearly at his fearsome best...

City managed to gain more possession in the second half, and Sergio Aguero even joined in on the nutmegging competition by putting it through Dani Alves' legs...

"

Aguero nutmegged alves what a time to be alive

— . (@SilvaEsque) March 18, 2015"

"

Aguero nutmegged Alves,no replays.

— #21 (@TheSilvaTurn) March 18, 2015"

In the 57th minute, Aguero nearly humiliated Barca keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, when the German keeper tried to dribble past the Argentinian outside his box...

"

Watching Ter Stegen pretending to have Neuer skills pic.twitter.com/1qQRidzF2H

— Abed Kahil (@abed_kahil) March 18, 2015"

"

Ter Stegen just wanted to nutmeg someone as well, can't blame him

— Zeets as Atlas (@Phaetonv2) March 18, 2015"

Ter Stegen, however, was given an ideal circumstance to atone for his dribbling sin. With around 13 minutes to go, Aguero was sandwiched by Gerard Pique and Javier Mascherano, giving the referee little choice but to award a penalty. Aguero stepped up and Ter Stegen got his gloves on it...

Amazingly, Ter Stegen wasn't even the best goalkeeper on the field. Joe Hart was head and shoulders above his counterpart (sorry) and received widespread praise for keeping Barcelona's goal tally so low...

"

What a performance from Joe Hart pic.twitter.com/4N4UN1nnhE

— Troll Football (@Troll__Football) March 18, 2015"

"

Joe Hart picked a really weird time to have the game of his life.

— Michael Caley (@MC_of_A) March 18, 2015"

Alas, Hart's heroics were not enough to allow City to progress, as the full time whistle blew and Barcelona confirmed their place in the final eight. The blue side of Manchester was left to ponder another season without reaching the upper echelons of the competition, while also pondering what on earth Edin Dzeko was doing on the bench...

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