Champions League 1st Leg: The Spanish Juggernaut (Barca) Spluttered to a Halt

If anyone had second thoughts about Barcelona's form this year, perhaps the winner of the inaugural FIFA Ballon D'Or awards this year, and his two teammates who were close contenders themselves, would have put paid to all the doubts that one could have had.

Who would obviously place their allegiance to any team except the one from the "Palau Blaugrana"?

But that was then, and this is now, and with the first leg of the Champions League quarter finals upon us, one can only imagine what was running through the hearts and minds of The Gunners' fans.

While the Barcelona fans have had much to cheer about in the La Liga BBVA, Arsenal haven't been faring too badly in the Premier League either.

Yet the question was how Arsenal was going to stop Messi, and most importantly, the impeccable one-twos and long passes that has befuddled every top club that Barcelona has played in the last three years.

Match Facts

Match: UEFA Champion League Quarter Final 1st Leg

Location: Arsenal Stadium, London

Referee: Nicola Rizzola

The First Half: In Appreciation of Arsenal's generosity

While it did not seem that Barcelona was in complete control of the game at the beginning yet Arsenal seemed to give the Barcelona players free space, and I found myself throwing my hands up in the air with the near-misses (meaning, where the forwards almost got the ball in a scoring position) with the Arsenal defense nowhere in position.

Alex Song did nothing special other than foul Messi, and generally annoy fans around the world.

He was seriously lucky to get away... very lucky, in fact!

It just didn't seem like Arsenal did anything at all other than make fast counterattacks, and where Valdez made two smashing "saves".

Dismal, to say the least...

And before you know it, a pass from Messi to Villa in the 26th minute brought up the first goal for Barcelona.

Yet, another close call occurred 10 minutes by seemed to be a certain goal in everyone's opinion; and as strange as that call was, the commentators (who were English) were ranting about how the right and left extreme players (Maxwell and Alves) were left to do their own thing.

Yet what made this first half of play unique was that there was no extra time.

The Second Half: Arsenal responds, but a too little too late?

For the first 20 minutes, it seemed that Barcelona were sinking their teeth into the game by the short passes while keeping the ball with them all the while, and yet Arsenal never gave up...

There were no flashes of brilliance to even report during this time, and it seemed as if the match would end in a one-nil result in Barca's favor.

Then, the impossible happened: Barcelona goal keeper Victor Valdez made a silly error which brought the first goal from Robin Van Persie and then a real beaut from Andrei Arshavin that put paid to Barcelona' chances of winning this leg bringing the Spanish juggernaut's dominance to a grinding halt!

Final Result: ARS 2 - 1 BAR

Closing Thoughts

As they always say: It isn't over until it's over

While the next leg will be played on March 6 at the Nou Camp in Spain, one can be sure that the fight to the finish will go right down to the wire.

Of course, Barcelona have the away goal, and that may be the difference.