(Barcelona, ESP) - AFP IS CLOSING THIS LIVE REPORT after Barcelona made Champions League history by overturning a two-goal first-leg deficit to beat AC Milan 4-0 and book themselves a place in the quarter-finals.
Milan were determined to frustrate Barca but Messi proved the inspiration as he scored after five minutes and again at the end of the first half, before Villa and Alba hit sealed the emphatic victory with second half strikes.
2225 GMT: The win was a welcome boost for Vilanova and Roura, who will have been pleased that Villa made it onto the scoresheet after a lengthy lay-off with a broken leg.
Alba made sure of the win with a cool finish to earn Barca a place in Friday's quarter-final draw.
2215 GMT: Messi was once again the star performer and his two first half goals rocked Milan onto their heels and set the tone for the rest of the match.
The Argentina forward has now scored 53 goals this season and is now on track to break the all-time Champions League goal tally (of 71 goals) that is held by Real Madrid legend Raul.
2210 GMT: Barca have really silenced their critics with that performance.
Before the match many pundits had been predicting this was the beginning of the end for the tika-taka generation but that performance will only serve as a warning for their quarter-final opponents as they rediscovered their triangular passing patterns and forced Milan into countless mistakes with their non-stop hustle.
2154 GMT: Before the match, Pique told any fans who didn't believe Barca would overturn the first-leg deficit to give their ticket to another supporter.
"We always believed, since the very first minute," he tells British broadcaster ITV.
"We were lucky to score so early," he adds.
2151 GMT: In the other Champions League match taking place tonight, Turkish giants Galatasaray have qualified for the quarter-finals with an impressive 3-2 win over Schalke 04 in Gelsenkirchen for a 4-3 aggregate victory.
2145 GMT: Robinho will be kicking himself over that fourth goal.
Milan were looking for a goal and pushed everyone forward expecting Robinho to pump a high ball into the penalty area, but the Brazilian instead surprised him team-mate with a short pass which Barcelona quickly snatched back before starting the attack that led to Alba's goal.
2142 GMT: Barca (and Messi in particular) were absolutely devastating and looked likely to score every time they launched a raid on the Milan goalmouth.
2140 GMT: Barca had to endure a nervy last 20 minutes but they fully deserved the 4-2 aggregate win as they really turned on the style in the second leg.
It was a complete reversal of the first-leg when they failed to muster a shot on target.
Milan can only have themselves to blame for this bloody nose as they showed very little ambition until the last ten minutes when the tie was already beyond them.
FULL-TIME: Huge roar from the Nou Camp as the ref signals the end of the match.
90 + 3 mins: GOAL! A landmark moment in Champions League football as Milan fluff a free-kick and leave themselves open to a counter-attack.
Sanchez gathers the loose ball and charges forward before pushing the ball back towards Alba who lifts the ball over the keeper.
That is the first time a side has come back from a two goal first-leg deficit.
90 mins: The Nou Camp faithful are calling on the referee to blow his whistle and jeer angrily when the fourth official signals there will be three minutes of added time.
88 mins: Barca break forward as they look to put this match beyond the reach of Milan..
Alves gallops forward and cuts inside his marker but the Brazilian full-back cannot get any power on his shot which rebounds off the defender for a corner.
85 mins: Barcelona make their final substitution and Adriano comes on for Pedro.
83 mins: Some gaps have started to appear in the heart of the Barca defence as Milan push forward looking for that all important goal.
Puyol shouts instructions as he looks to reorganise the Barca rearguard.
82 mins: Milan think they have grabbed an important away goal as Robinho ghosts clear off his marker to meet a pass from El Shaarawy but Alba dives in the path of the close-range shot.
81 mins: Excellent defending from Pique who stops Muntari from reaching a dangerous cross from Robinho.
78 mins: Puyol comes on for Mascherano as Barca look to batten down the hatches and hold on to their aggregate lead.
75 mins: Villa gets a standing ovation as he comes off for Alexis Sanchis.
Roura must be smiling as the reintroduction of Villa into his reshuffled line-up has proved a bit of a master-stroke.
73 mins: Zapata grabs hold of Messi's jersey to prevent another dazzling raid. Messi lines up the free kick but fires it straight into the wall of Milan players
68 mins: Milan are finally enjoying a nice spell of possession and Abate and Flamini link up to create havoc in the heart of the Barca defence but there was a foul in the build up and Barca catch their breath
66 mins: Abate gets a scent of the Barca goal and reminds the Nou Camp that Milan still pose a threat as he whips in a fierce cross which Barca struggle to deal with.
64 mins: Messi is proving a constant thorn in the side of the Milan rearguard and he tries to turn provider by lobbing an inviting cross into the path of the fast-charging Busquets but Abiatti spots the threat and snatches the ball.
61 mins: Muntari is quickly thrust into the white-heat of battle as he is forced to clear a dangerous cross but can only push it towards Busquets who brings a smile from the crowd with an air-shot
59 mins: The Milan coach rolls the dice with a double substitution as he sends on Robinho and Muntari for Ambrosini and Mexes.
55 mins: Allegri urges his players forward all too aware that his side need to score as they have fallen behind on aggregate after that goal from Villa.
54 mins: GOAL! Barca score a well-deserved third goal as Xavi spots Villa in acres of space and the Spain forward hits a fizzing shot past Abiatti.
54 mins: YELLOW CARD! Mexes pulls down Messi to prevent another attack and doesnt complain with the booking.
49 mins: A neat interchange between Villa and Messi leaves a gaping hole in the heart of the Milan rearguard but Villa cannot find Messi with a return pass and the Rossoneri faithful breath a huge sigh of relief
48 mins: Messi spots an opening and goes for the Milan jugular as he holds off a challenge from Constant before drilling his shot straight at Abbiati.
46 mins: Barcelona get the second half under way
2039 GMT: News is coming through that Pedro will miss the next match after he picked up that booking.
He and Alves have really stretched the Milan rearguard and created plenty of space for Messi to exploit.
2034 GMT: Barca might need to get a few more goals as Milan have come close on two occasions.
Niang will ruefully look back at that opportunity when a lick of paint was all that saved Barca as his shot cannoned back off the upright.
2032 GMT: The booking was the last play of an eventful first half and the Milan players will need to regroup as they have failed to contain a rampant and intense Barca side that look capable of doubling their lead.
45 + 1 mins: YELLOW CARD! Pedro looks set to gallop off towards the Milan goal but Flamini is aware of the danger and hauls the winger down with a rugby tackle.
45 mins: The fourth official signals there will be a minute of added time.
43 mins: Milan are giving Alves plenty of room down the right and the Brazilian full-back looks up and arcs the ball into the path of Villa but Mexes muscles his way past Villa to wallop the ball clear.
41 mins: YELLOW CARD! Pedro is booked after he piles into the back of Abate.
40 mins: GOAL! Messi, who else!
Iniesta robs Ambrosini and strokes the ball into the path of Messi who sweeps it past Abiatti.
The match is now all-square, 2-2 on aggregate.
38 mins: Collective sigh of relief in the Nou Camp as Niang races onto a loose ball shows Mascherano a clean pair of heels but can only drag his shot against the post.
37 mins: Iniesta spies an opening and tries to find the onrushing Villa but Abbiati races off his line and gathers the ball.
36 mins: Milan finally string a few passes together and nearly grab an equaliser.
Ambrosini swivels clear of Xavi and finds El Shaarawy on the edge of the area, the young forward cuts inside Pique but cannot get enough purchase on his shot...
30 mins: Alves finds some room down the right but fluffs his cross and Mexes hoofs the ball into the stands.
27 mins: Milan are pegged back deep into their own half and Alves goes on a mazy run down the right but he cannot find Messi with the final pass...Milan are living dangerously here and the crowd burst out into another chant as their can smell victory.
25 mins: Flamini is forced to leave the pitch after a clash of heads, the veteran midfielder is bandaged up and comes back on to the pitch to jeers from the Nou Camp.
23 mins: Milan are finding it impossible to catch their breath as they have to endure yet another Barca raid on the goalmouth as Iniesta and Xavi are pulling the strings in midfield, but Flamini finally comes the Rossoneri's rescue and puts his laces through an errant pass to finally snuff out the threat.
21 mins: Milan are maintaining a tight, compact defence on the edge of their penalty area but the Nou Camp scream for a spot-kick as Pedro is brought down on the edge of the box but the referee waves play on.
It looked as if Pedro was shoved in the back but he fell over a bit too readily for the ref...
19 mins: Milan really do have their backs to the wall as Iniesta spies an opening and tries to release Messi with a beautifully weighed pass but Mexes clears the danger.
16 mins: Milan push forward and earn a corner, Barcelona struggle to deal with the set-piece and Valdes gathers the ball at his second attempt.
12 mins: The Catalan faithful are on their feet thinking they have scored a second goal...
Iniesta wriggles clear of his marker and forces Abiatti to palm away his ferocious half-volley onto the bar, the ball ricochets into the path of Messi but he can only push his header into the side netting from close range.
8 mins: Milan break at speed out of their half as El Shaarawy sprints onto a long ball, but he cannot regain his balance after brushing off a challenge from Alves and pushes a tame shot back towards Valdes.
6 mins: Milan still hold the aggregate lead but that goal has really taken the wind out of their sails and they look rattled.
They need to regroup or else they could be torn apart by Messi and co.
5 mins: GOAL!
Jeers from the Catalan faithful as Boateng clatters into the back of Busquets.
The jeers soon turn to cheers as Xavi takes the resulting free kick and after a slick passing move, Messi jinkes past three Milan defenders and on the edge of the area curls a fizzing shot into the roof of the net.
2 mins: Messi and Xavi are buzzing around the pitch trying to get an early goal but Prince Boateng snuff out the threat on the edge of his penalty area.
KICK-OFF: The Hungarian referee blows his whistle and Milan (in white) get the game under way
1942 GMT: The Catalan faithful are in fine voice as they belt out their anthem as the players stream out onto the pitch.
1941 GMT: Barca have a mountain to climb but the task might become insurmountable if the Rossoneri grab an early goal, as that will mean the Catalan giants will have to score four goals to progress to the last eight.
1940 GMT: AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri calls up teenage striker M'Baye Niang in place of Giampaolo Pazzini, who has failed to shake off an injury.
1939 GMT: Barcelona make two changes to their starting eleven and replace veteran centre-half Carlos Puyol with Javier Mascherano at centre-back.
Roura also opts for the direct threat of David Villa in place of the more creative Cesc Fabregas
1935 GMT: The line-ups are out...
Barcelona: Victor Valdes; Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Jordi Alba; Xavi, Busquets, Iniesta; Pedro, Messi, Villa.
Subs: Pinto, Puyol, Adriano, Fabregas, Song, Alexis Sanchez, Tello.
Milan: Abbiati; Abate, Mexés, Zapata, Constant; Motolivo, Ambrosini, Flamini; Niang, Boateng, El Shaarawy.Subs: Amelia, De Scihlio, Bonera, Muntari, Nocerino, Robinho, Bojan Krkic. Referee: Vikto Kassai (Hungary)
WELCOME TO AFP'S LIVE REPORT on a Champions League clash where Barcelona are looking to overturn a 2-0 first-leg defeat against AC Milan to progress to the quarter-final stages of Europe's top club competition. Expect an intimidating atmosphere at the Nou Camp as the Catalan faithful will be roaring their side on after a poor run of form has seen their side lose twice to bitter rivals Real Madrid and once to the Rossoneri in the past fortnight. Barca only dropped two points from their first 19 games in La Liga to open up a sizeable lead at the top of the table but in the last two months the wheels have started to come off their footballing juggernaut. In contrast, Milan have found a rich vein of form which has seen them notch a 10th league match in a row without defeat. Barca looked all at sea in the first-leg at the San Siro, where Milan allowed them plenty of possession but frustrated Leo Messi and co with their watertight defence. The Catalan side failed to have a meaningful shot on target the whole match and in the last ten minutes they hit the panic button and ditched their slick passing scheme in favour of aiming long-balls into the heart of the Milan penalty area. Their loss of discipline and creativity has coincided with the absence of coach Tito Vilanova, who has been receiving cancer treatment in New York. The players have given their support to assistant coach Jordi Roura, but the side has lacked the same spark since Vilanova was taken ill. A memorable victory at the Nou Camp will silence the critics and prove a welcome tonic to Vilanova and Roura.
