Kevin-Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari scored, as AC Milan defeated Barcelona 2-0 at the San Siro, in the first leg of their Round of 16 Champions League clash.
The Catalans had started the game brightly, spraying passes with typical grace and bossing possession, but failed to breach a well organised Milan side.
They were made to pay in the second half, after Montolivo’s rebound was deflected into Boateng’s part. The Ghanaian smashed the ball past Victor Valdes, even as the Barca players protested for handball.
Muntari, who wasn’t particularly having a good game, doubled the lead for the home side, connecting sweetly with El Shaarawy’s pass to volley past Valdes.
Messi and co now have it all to do, when the two teams meet at the Camp Nou in three weeks.
In Turkey, Schalke 04 held Galatasaray to a 1-1 draw.
Yilmaz fired the home side into the lead, before Jermaine Jones equalised shortly before half time, to leave the tie perfectly balanced ahead of the return leg in Germany.
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