13 Apr 2011

United and Barca move thru in Champions League

8:55 am on 13 April 2011

Manchester United inflicted more Champions League misery on Chelsea as they moved into the semi-finals with a 3-1 aggregate victory.

A goal in either half by Javier Hernandez and Park Ji-sung gave United a 2-1 victory on the night at Old Trafford with a spirited Chelsea briefly levelling through substitute Didier Drogba after the Londoners had been reduced to 10 men.

United, who beat Chelsea on penalties in the 2008 final and had carved out a 1-nil lead from last week's first leg, absorbed plently of Chelsea pressure throughout an absorbing game in which the visitors had Ramires sent off for two bookings.

United, chasing a treble of European Cup, Premier League and FA Cup, will face Schalke or Inter Milan in the last four with the German side holding a 5-2 advantage over the Italians before tomorrow's quarter-final second leg.

Meanwhile Barcelona set up a probable semi-final clash with Spanish rivals Real Madrid after Lionel Messi netted in a 1-nil win at Shakhtar Donetsk to complete a 6-1 aggregate success.

The World Player of the Year's 43rd-minute strike, his ninth Champions League goal of the campaign, put the 2009 winners through to the semi-finals for a fourth straight year.

Real will join Barca in the last four if they hold on to their comfortable 4-nil advantage at English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur in tomorrow's quarter-final second leg at White Hart Lane in north London.