Madrid: FC Barcelona's prolific striker Lionel Messi may not have scored as his side defeated Manchester City 1-0 on Wednesday night to secure their place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, but there is no doubt he was back to his brilliant best.


Lionel Messi. Pic/AFP 

As well as torturing the City midfield and defence, Messi set up Ivan Rakitic for the only goal of the game and but for the heroics of Joe Hart in the City goal he would have scored a hat-trick, reports Xinhua.