Lionel Messi refuses to take all the credit for Barcelona's win over Chelsea
A typically majestic performance saw Messi score twice and add an assist to knock Chelsea out and see Barca into the last eight
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Lionel Messi refused to take all the credit despite having a decisive say in Barcelona's Champions League elimination of Chelsea f.c.
A typically majestic performance saw Messi give Barca a lead in the third minute, before he set up Ousmane Dembele's second after 20 minutes and then struck a third to end any hopes of Chelsea rallying in a 3-0 win which secured a 4-1 last-16 aggregate success.
Chelsea boss Antonio Conte said Messi was the difference and a once in 50 years player but the man himself insisted it was more a collective success.
"It was a really tough game. But we played strong as a team," he said. "Scoring so early meant we could control the game, but we didn't feel we had sentenced the tie until we got our third goal.
"Until then, we had to fight hard and suffer to achieve a very important qualification for the team."
Andres Iniesta returned from a hamstring injury to start for Barcelona but the 33-year-old could leave the Nou Camp at the end of the season.
Whether he stays or departs, Iniesta warned Barca must be at their best for him to win a fifth Champions League title.
"The Champions League is complicated, a bad day leaves you out. We have a team and we want to play," he said.
Iniesta wishes to avoid a domestic rival in the last eight, with Sevilla and Real Madrid also in Friday's draw.
"I do not want a Spanish team, because we know each other too much," he added.
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