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Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, left, celebrates after scoring the second of two goals against Arsenal during Champions League play in London on Feb. 23.Frank Augstein/The Associated Press

Two goals from Lionel Messi steered Barcelona to a convincing 2-0 victory over Arsenal in the last-16 round of the Champions League on Tuesday.

Messi provided a clinical finish to a breakaway move that featured strike partners Luis Suarez and Neymar in the 71st minute and then scored an 83rd minute penalty to seal the first-leg match.

The five-time world player of the year decided a game that Barcelona had dominated, without taking all the chances that came the way of its feared strike trio.

Arsenal created opportunities in both halves and looked to limit the damage against a side that its own manager, Arsene Wenger, described as "super favourites."

Barcelona will be confident of reaching the quarterfinals for the ninth consecutive season after the second leg on March 16 at the Nou Camp.

Barcelona had beaten Arsenal in both their previous meetings in the knockout stages, in 2010 and 2011, along with the 2006 final in Paris. Its second-half performance in London, which combined possession with dangerous counterattacks, was a potent reminder of that track record.

Arsenal made a bright enough start and carved out a half-chance after only eight minutes. A clever back-heel by Aron Ramsey found Mesut Ozil, but the return pass wasn't good enough for the Wales midfielder to get a clean shot away.

Arsenal was clearly looking to move the ball forward quickly on the break, as Barcelona gradually took control of the play – though the visitors were initially showing a lot more patience than real attacking threat.

Instead, the hosts came close to breaking the deadlock when Hector Bellerin's blocked shot ran free in the area for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, whose low shot from close range drew a smart save by Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Despite all its time controlling the ball, Barcelona's first real chance came midway through the half with a free kick on the edge of the area that Messi ploughed into the Arsenal wall.

The holders were gradually ratcheting up the pressure, though, and should have opened the scoring on the stroke of halftime. Dani Alves lofted in a clever ball from the right side of the area but Suarez could only flash a glancing header across the face of the goal.

It was a scoreline that seemed to satisfy Wenger, who kept his team on the defensive for the second half.

Yet Barcelona ripped through Arsenal's defence barely three minutes after the re-start with a superb pass for Neymar, whose shot was blocked in a one-on-one with Petr Cech.

Arsenal replied with a header from Olivier Giroud from a Nacho Monreal cross that ter Stegen did well to block as the pace and tempo of the game ticked up.

Messi had a shot in the area charged down, Suarez sent an inviting low pass across the face of the goal and it seemed to be only a matter of time before Barcelona scored.

The goal came when Suarez released Neymar down the left and Messi had time and space to beat Cech.

Suarez then somehow managed to hit the post from point blank range after a pass from Messi from another breakaway.

Messi made such no mistake from the spot after being tripped by Mathieu Flamini, sending Cech the wrong way with the spot kick, and only a fine save at the end by the Arsenal goalkeeper prevented Neymar from adding a third with a header.

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