It was simply a class act. It had never been done before in European Champions League history but, last night, Spanish giants Barcelona were in a killer mood and there was nothing visiting AC Milan of Italy could do about it. By the time the final whistle sounded at the Nou Camp, Barca had become the first ever team to progress in the Champions League after being 2-0 down from the first keg.

It had appeared to be an impossible task overturning Milan’s advantage but with the incredible Lionel Messi in his elements, the impossible becomes possible. And thus within only 45 minutes the mercurial Messi had wiped off Milan’s credit with two perfect strikes.

He first struck in the fifth minute after Busquets played a diagonal ball into his feet close to the edge of the box. After exchanging passes with Xavi, the reigning World Footballer of the Year clips the ball casually into the top corner and watches it sail into the net with goalie Abiatti practically motionless.

Thirty-five minutes later, the Argentine wizard struck again. Iniesta had robbed Ambrosini of the ball in Milan’s own half and promptly found Messi just outside the box, from where he works it onto his left foot and shoots through Mexes’ legs and past Abiatti.

Fears that Milan were on their way out of this year’s championship heightened ten minutes into the second half when Mexes misplaced a pass, which was won by Mascherano, who fed Iniesta – who, in turn, found Villa on the right-hand side of the box, who curled an impeccable finish into the top left.

Just when it appeared that the game was over, Barca completed the humiliation two minutes into extra time when Barca intercepted a short Robinho pass to Muntari. Thanking his stars, Alba burst up the left flank and finished neatly into the bottom corner to camp an incredible night for Barca and their over 96,000 loyal fans who had thronged the Camp Nou to watch them make history.

•Photo (courtesy Daily Telegraph): “I’ve made it!” – Messi celebrates his second goal of the night.