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Champions League

March 18, 2010

Barcelona trounced Stuttgart 4-0 and Bordeaux took the victory against Greece's Olympiakos 2-1 in the final matches of the Champions League 16 match-off.

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FC Barcelona's Lionel Messi of Argentina reacts after scoring against VfB Stuttgart during a Champions League soccer match at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain,
Messi was named European Player of the Year in 2009Image: AP

Bordeaux and Barcleona are set to advance to the next round of the Champions League Football Tournament, following wins in the round-16 matches on Wednesday.

FC Barcelona slaughtered Stuttgart 4-0 in Spain. Argentine star Lionel Messi scored two of the goals that lead defending champion Barcelona into the quarter-finals.

German midfielder Sami Khedira said Stuttgart lost their footing in the game early on.

"After Messi scored, it was always going to be difficult," he told news agency DPA.

The defeat squashed Stuttgart's hopes of joining fellow German team Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Firsts for Bordeaux

In a parallel match, Bordeaux beat visiting team Olympiakos 2-1 in a tense game that saw three players sent off the field.

The French side had anticipated an easy victory after beating Olympiakos 1-0 on Greece's home turf, but Greece put up a fight,and for a time the game was tied thanks to an impressive volley by substitute Kostas Mitroglou.

However, Bordeaux's striker Marouane Chamakh saved the game for his side two minutes before time, allowing Bordeaux to join fellow Olympique Lyon in the quarter-finals.

Stuttgart and Barcelona players battle it out on the field
Stuttgart struggled to stay in the game after impressive goals by BarcelonaImage: AP

It's the first time two French teams have been among the final eight teams since 2004, and the first time Bordeaux has made it to the quarter-finals in 22 years.

Quarter-final teams

Wednesday's winners, Bordeaux and Barcelona, will be joined at the quarter-finals by Manchester United, Arsenal, Lyon, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and CSKA Moscow.

The European Champions Quarter-Final draw takes place on Friday, with ties scheduled for March 30/31 and April 6/7.

smh/dpa/AFP/Reuters

Editor: Nigel Tandy

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