LONDON: Barcelona overwhelmed Arsenal with a 3-1 victory following Lionel Messi's double and Shakhtar Donetsk reached the Champions League quarterfinals for the first time after beating AS Roma 3-0 Tuesday. While Barcelona outclassed Arsenal for the second successive season, the match turned in the Spanish champions' favor in a three-minute spell at the start of the second half. Barcelona defender Sergio Busquets' own goal canceled out Messi's first-half strike to put the Gunners back in control after having won 2-1 in the first leg. But Arsenal striker Robin van Persie was sent off in the 56th after being shown a second yellow card by referee Massimo Busacca for shooting – the only visiting player to do so all night – having already been given offside. “It's a total joke,” Van Persie said. “I tried to explain there were 95,000 people jumping up, how can I hear the whistle? He's been bad all evening, whistling against us. I don't know why he's here tonight.” Xavi Hernandez made it 2-1 in the 69th minute after completing a flowing Barcelona move, before Messi converted a 71st-minute penalty to clinch the 4-3 aggregate win. Shakhtar's victory was more emphatic, the Ukrainian champion advancing 6-2 on aggregate after goals from Tomas Huebschmann, Willian and Eduardo da Silva. While Barcelona's victory margin was slender, the statistics suggested otherwise. Pep Guardiola's side had 19 shots to Arsenal's none and outpassed the visitors 738-199. UEFA charges Wenger, Nasri UEFA charged Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and midfielder Samir Nasri with improper conduct Wednesday for comments to referee Massimo Busacca after their team's Champions League elimination against Barcelona. Wenger argued furiously with the Swiss official on the sidelines after the match Tuesday, and the dispute continued in the tunnel. Arsenal lost 4-3 on aggregate. Wenger was angry that forward Robin van Persie was shown a second yellow card at 1-1 in the 56th minute. UEFA studied reports from Busacca and match delegate Dane Jost of Slovenia before asking its disciplinary unit to open cases. Arsenal also must answer a charge that it was responsible for the late kickoffs in the both the first and second half at the Nou Camp, the European football authority said. UEFA's disciplinary panel will hear the cases on March 17.
