Record-breaking Messi takes top scorer honour

FC Barcelona were not in Munich to defend their European title, but Lionel Messi won the top scorer honour for a record fourth successive season with an unsurpassed 14 goals. 

 

FC Barcelona failed to become the first team to successfully defend the UEFA Champions League but Lionel Messi could take some consolation in finishing as the competition's top scorer for an unprecedented fourth successive campaign, his 14 goals also matching the record for the highest tally in a European Cup season.

FC Bayern München's Mario Gomez was still in the running going into Saturday's final against Cheslea FC, but was unable to add to his 12-goal total. Cristiano Ronaldo finishes third on ten goals, with his Real Madrid CF team-mate Karim Benzema three strikes further back and Chelsea FC hero Didier Drogba on six – yet it was Messi's season once again.

Lionel Messi was in prolific form in the UEFA Champions League yet again this season

The Barcelona forward managed 12 goals in 2010/11, matching the UEFA Champions League record set by Ruud van Nistelrooy with Manchester United FC in 2002/03, but went two better this term. Messi's total was bolstered by five goals in the round of 16 second leg against Bayer 04 Leverkusen, the first player to manage the feat in a single UEFA Champions League match.

In 2010/11 Messi had become the third man after Gerd Müller (1972/73, 1973/74, 1974/75) and Jean-Pierre Papin (1989/90, 1990/91, 1991/92) to top the scoring charts in three consecutive European Cup campaigns. While the Argentinian is the first player to finish as the leading marksman in four successive seasons, he also matches the achievement of Müller, whose five goals in 1976/77 made him the joint-leading scorer that season for the fourth time.

Furthermore Messi equalled the mark of AC Milan's José Altafini, who now jointly holds the record for the highest number of goals scored in a European Cup campaign, 14 in 1962/63.

2011/12 UEFA Champions League top scorers
14 Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona)
12 Mario Gomez (FC Bayern München)
10 Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid CF)
7 Karim Benzema, (Real Madrid CF)
6 Didier Drogba (Chelsea FC)
5 José Callejón (Real Madrid CF), Roberto Soldado (Valencia CF), Bafétimbi Gomis (Olympique Lyonnais), Alexander Frei (FC Basel 1893), Seydou Doumbia (PFC CSKA Moskva), Roman Shirokov (FC Zenit St Petersburg), Edinson Cavani (SSC Napoli), Zlatan Ibrahimović (AC Milan)

UEFA Champions League top scorers by season
1993/94 – Ronald Koeman, FC Barcelona; Wynton Rufer, SV Werder Bremen (8)
1994/95 – George Weah, Paris Saint-Germain FC (7)
1995/96 – Jari Litmanen, AFC Ajax (9)
1996/97 – Milinko Pantić, Club Atlético de Madrid (5)
1997/98 – Alessandro Del Piero, Juventus (10)
1998/99 – Andriy Shevchenko, FC Dynamo Kyiv; Dwight Yorke, Manchester United FC (8)
1999/00 – Mário Jardel, FC Porto; Rivaldo, FC Barcelona; Raúl González, Real Madrid CF (10)
2000/01 – Raúl González, Real Madrid CF (7)
2001/02 – Ruud van Nistelrooy, Manchester United FC (10)
2002/03 – Ruud van Nistelrooy, Manchester United FC (12)
2003/04 – Fernando Morientes, AS Monaco FC (9)
2004/05 – Ruud van Nistelrooy, Manchester United FC (8)
2005/06 – Andriy Shevchenko, AC Milan (9)
2006/07 – Kaká, AC Milan (10)
2007/08 – Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United FC (8)
2008/09 – Lionel Messi, FC Barcelona (9)
2009/10 – Lionel Messi, FC Barcelona (8)
2010/11 – Lionel Messi, FC Barcelona (12)
2011/12 – Lionel Messi, FC Barcelona (14)

 

Grate Match Chelsea (1 - 0) Barcelona on 18 April of CL 2012

Chelsea produced the kind of "perfect'' performance Roberto Di Matteo had demanded to inflict Barcelona's first Champions League defeat of the season and give themselves real hope of reaching the final.

Didier Drogba celebrates after netting the winning goal on half-time

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The Blues once again proved the nemesis of the team feted by many as the greatest to play the game thanks to an amazing smash-and-grab Didier display in the semi-final first leg at a jubilant Stamford Bridge.
Interim boss Di Matteo's plan paid off spectacularly, Didier Drogba scoring the winner to go some way to burying the demons of the sides' last meeting three years ago.
As well as being magnificent to a man in carrying out the instructions of Di Matteo, Chelsea also enjoyed the kind of luck that deserted them in 2009 and which they have had in spades since the Italian took charge.
They may need plenty more at Camp Nou on Tuesday to reach their second final after Barca missed a glut of chances after dominating possession from start to finish.

Lionel Messi leaps to head the ball on goal but can't find the net.

The pattern of the match was set the moment the visitors kicked off, Chelsea allowing them possession and Raul Meireles leading the pressure behind Drogba.
From a defensive point of view, it largely worked, although the visitors should have taken one of the chances to have fallen their way.
Luck played a part in the first of them in the ninth minute, Alexis Sanchez chipping against the crossbar from Andres Iniesta's perfectly-timed pass.
The other two both fell to Cesc Fabregas courtesy of Lionel Messi, who was otherwise restricted to a quiet half.
The first was a sitter, Fabregas failing to connect properly with his finish after Messi's burst and pass had set up Andres Iniesta for a shot Petr Cech parried.
Messi finally had the chance to build up a real head of steam two minutes before half-time, Fabregas this time producing a delightful dink which was only kept out by Ashley Cole's clearance off the line.
Otherwise Chelsea had plenty to give them hope from what little ball they had.
The benefit of going long was quickly demonstrated when only a heavy touch prevented Drogba capitalising on Cech's clearance.
Drogba, who got away with overstepping the mark when he trod on Sergio Busquets' foot, also failed to make the most of a one-on-one with Carles Puyol.
Long throws predictably unsettled Barca, too, and Gary Cahill almost took advantage of the first of them.
Chelsea did tread a fine line discipline-wise, with Meireles lucky not to pick up a booking that would see him suspended for the second leg.
"Same old Barca, always cheating,'' chanted the home fans whenever a Barca player went down.
They were in good spirits despite the deluge, which may have played a part in Drogba scoring with the final kick of the first half.
Barca were caught upfield and Frank Lampard's ball over the top sent Ramires rampaging forward, the Brazilian's cross picking out Drogba.
Victor Valdes should have saved the scuffed finish but could only help it into the net.
Barca were even more dominant after the restart, Cech parrying Adriano's curler before Sanchez missed another gilt-edge chance when he stabbed Fabregas' scooped pass wide from six yards.
Otherwise they were being kept at bay by a world-class defensive display led by Cahill and John Terry, who were almost single-handedly keeping Messi quiet.
Pep Guardiola sent on Pedro for Sanchez with 24 minutes remaining, with Barca becoming increasingly frustrated, not least with perceived play-acting from Drogba, who got an earful from Puyol.
There was finally a booking when Ramires tripped Messi in full flight, Pedro quickly following for a similar offence on Cole.
Busquets was also cautioned for scything down Ramires after Juan Mata was withdrawn for Salomon Kalou.
Fabregas left the field to a chorus of boos for Thiago Alcantara as Chelsea began to drop deeper and deeper, as they had done three years earlier.
Barca laid siege to the Blues goal and Cech produced a magnificent save three minutes' from time when Puyol glanced Messi's free-kick towards the corner.
And, in stoppage-time, the visitors saved their worst finish until last, Busquets skying high over the crossbar after Pedro's effort had hit the post.