Barcelona advance to the last sixteen of the Champions League as group winners in a come from behind defeat of Dynamo Kiev.

Leo Messi’s eighty-eight minuet set piece strike was the difference between the sides on a freezing night in Kiev.

Inside the first minuet the Ukrainians secured a free kick just outside the box; on the left side. Andrei Shevchenko thundered a low strike into the six yard area; his shot was glanced on by Milevskiy, under Valdes and over the line. The locals were sent into raptures and the open structured stadium could not have been louder.

The early goal allowed for play to open up.  Barça sustained their signature poise in possession as the home team relied on counter attacks to take the ball from their half. Twelve minuets in Shovkovskiy’s short goal kick found Messi. He dribbled toward goal but the goalie down low to recover possession.

Barcelona held onto the ball as Dynamo appeared content to defend. Every time their attacks were stopped the Ukrainians kicked the ball back attempting to create the counter. Despite allowing shot after shot on target, Kiev kept the lead. Ibrahimovic and Messi have had few chances on goal as Barca struggled to release the strikers in the box.

Almost predictably, in the thirty-second minuet as the home fans’ whistles grew deafening,  Barça passed and walked effortlessly with the ball before Abidal advanced unmarked along the left, sending a pin-pointed low pass for Xavi to slide, and guide in.

This was Barcelona’s reward for their total domination.

In the final moments of the half, Milevskiy provided a rare spark of attack for Dynamo with a sprint along the right wing. His attempted cross was blocked by the glove on Pique’s hand. The defender received the first card of the match. But the resulting free kick was wasted as Shevchenko blasted at the feet of the wall.

Kiev threatened again in the fifty-third minuet with another Shevchenko free kick. His ball came from the left to the far post where Almeida sent a header goal ward. It missed to the right.

A beautiful run by Messi was stopped with the ball spilling to Xavi. He could not test the goal. The Ukrainian fans grew restless as they knew their side were eighteen minuets from exiting the competition. However the Catalan’s sideways passing and skilful back-heeling is too much for Dynamo.

The exhibitionism continued as Messi danced his way through the opposing defence. The run was ended by Mikhalik. An eighty-seventh minuet free kick was awarded twenty-five yards from goal. Messi curled the ball with his left foot. It reached over Shovkovskiy’s outstretched hand, kissing the crossbar and in.

Three minuets later Xavi released Messi again. He took the ball deep into the box but hit straight at the goal keeper. The man of the match showed some more skill before was forced to leave the pitch with a slight injury.

Dynamo will have to settle for domestic football for the rest of the season. Their fourth place in the group does not even merit a place in the Europa League. But  Barça advance to the last sixteen in the Champions League and will be seeded for the draw. With more performances like tonight they will be confident of  defending their title as European Champions.

Dynamo Kiev:  Shovkovskiy; Eremenko; Yussuf; Magrao (Nickovik); Almeida; Mikhalik (yellow); Vukojevic; Shevchenko (yellow); Yarmolenko; Milevskiy.

Barcelona:  Valdes; Alves; Pique (yellow); Puyol; Abidal; Xavi (yellow); Busquets; Keita; Messi; Iniesta (Rodriguez); Ibrahimovic.

• Goalie: Van Der Sar (MU)
• Defenders: Collins (Aston Villa), Pantsil (Fulham), Brown (MU).
• Midfielders: Fabregas (Arsenal), Reid (Sunderland), Dunn (Blackburn), Lennon (Spurs), Benayoun (Liverpool).
• Forwards:  Drogba (Chelsea), Rooney (MU & Captain).

Subs:  Sorensen (Stoke), Roberts (Blackburn), Ab Faye (Stoke), Wilkinson (Stoke).

Last week before Man U kicked off against Portsmouth I thought that Rooney, at 11.3 was overpriced, at least against the 11.4 price-tags of Torres and Drogba. But I soon found the pricing evaluations to be quite accurate. How did my opinion take such a swift U-turn? Rooney had one the best games of his life in statistical terms, 3 goals, 3 bonus points and collected 17 points overall or 34 if you gambled the captaincy on him. Fine, so a striker scored seventeen points away to Portsmouth (insert your own sarcastic joke on their rubbish form this season). Just a week before, 8.3 bargain Defoe scooped five goals and twenty-five points.

Looking forward, why would I spend an extra three million to grant WR to my team-sheet leaving JD to the transfer market? Over the previous three seasons Rooney has preformed wonders at Old Trafford without troubling other elite goal scorers at the top of the goal scoring charts. Now, this season he steps onto the field the same man. The difference is another man. CR7 has left for Madrid and taken his 1.5 goals a game strike rate. So Rooney can press forward, full forward and occupy the fruitful role as the focal point of United’s attacks. Such is the team’s attacking dependency upon him; Ferguson chose to line his bench with Berbatov and Owen. They watched on as Rooney and Giggsy (occasionally assisted by Scholes and Valencia) led the barrage in the Portsmouth rain.

There is another factor, without such it’s likely I wouldn’t be writing this now, it probably would have waited another couple of weeks. With Ronaldo gone and Carrick missing them, spot kicks are now the reasonability of the Liverpool man’s famous foot (http://www.rooneysfoot.com/). Jose Mourinho accused English refs of giving too many pens to United. Maybe they get a higher proportion than the league average because they spend more time around the opposition’s box. Anyway when they come, Rooney will finish.

And it’s a Drogba?

Week fourteen, a terrible week, the worst week… thirty-four points minus twelve for ridiculously making four transfers. I had two saviors, firstly Sorenson of Stoke who scored seven. That was more than the rest of my defence combined. Yet again, predictably (which makes me feel shameful for not naming him captain) my No.1 player D Drogba delivered in style with the man o’ match bonus and two goals. What a joy the first was. He chipped a cross past Almunia to hit the far right post then the crossbar and in. From here on such an occurrence in the future, whether in amateur or professional play, will be known as a ‘Drogba’. This generation’s Tony Yeboah if you know what I mean. If not, copy and paste @ Youtube.

This coming week three of four places on my bench will brag the Stoke City badge. The reason is not for there lack of form, but for the presence of Arsenal at the Emerites, and Cesc F who’ll ‘ave to step up to remain in the squad for Christmas. I think the absence of Van Persie is affecting everything at Arsenal at the moment. How quickly things revolve in the fantasy framework; this time a month ago all things North London were treated like gold-dust. That still is true. But now they dress in white.

Defoe, Lennon and Kranjcar are on fire. All are there at valuable prices, playing the out of form Everton this week and Wolves next means it is good to be with Spurs. I’m hoping Lennon can land some assists or maybe a goal and prove what happend against Wigan was not a fluke.

It’s hard to be positive following last week but I’m building towards affording Torres and then the future will look nicer. I’ll be happy if City knock off Chelsea this weekend, even if it is to be another thirty-something points. Let’s only hope Drogba hustles the refs like Rooney did last time and Rooney scores a few ‘Drogbas’.

• Goalie: Sorensen (Stoke)
• Defenders: Collins (Aston Villa), Warnock (Aston Villa), Faye Ab (Stoke), O’Shea (MU), Evra (MU).
• Midfielders: Fabregas (Arsenal), Arshavin (Arsenal),
• Forwards: Agbonlahor (Aston Villa & Captain), Drogba (Chelsea), Bent (Sunderland).

Subs:  Simonson (Stoke), Benayoun (Liverpool), Cohen (Bolton), Fahey (Birmingham).

Villa’s Three

I’ve taken an eight point hit, to fit Agbonlahor and Warnock into the side ahead of their 180 minuet gameweek. Villa are on form with five points from their last three games and share the record for least goals conceded in the league with Chelsea. Brad Friedal, who makes his 200th consecutive league start, has had the misfortune of taking the ball from his net only eight times (six minus the season’s opener against Wigan). So that will stand my two defenders (Collins and Warnock) a decent chance of landing six, maybe 12 points each.

It hurts to say, but Saha has been replaced by Agbonlahor, the reason being obvious, to score points from two available games. I’ve got Aggy in as captain. Both games are away, but even a modest estimation sees him scoring at least once. That would provide eight points (doubled by the captaincy). I watched him playing for England recently, his pace, confidence and will to make it on Capello’s plane next June makes for a very determined and skilled striker. So it is easy to vision him doing everything up front for Villa and in doing so, granting me a dream fantasy week.

Big 4

What a game it will be when Tottenham meet up with Arsenal at the Emirates on Saturday afternoon. For Arsenal this will be another D-Day, the last two against City and United were far less than satisfactory. Spurs travel across London to the bitter side where their arch rivals will be awaiting. They come with high hopes and sitting fourth in the league this will be a test, telling if or not they are pretenders in the race for the top four. I am hoping for something similar to last season’s corresponding fixture, an eight goal thriller.

This time I have my midfield kitted out with the Gunners best. My Premier League favourite Arshavin will dominate the left. Fabregas, who leads the points per game stats with 9.6, will revel in the wide open spaces of the Emirates park where Arsenal average over four goals a game. But not against Redknapp’s men you say? The two attacking midfielders will fancy their chances against the neighbours, who have won only twice in sixty-nine Premier League meetings against the top 4.

Chelsea have lost twice on the road in succession and while I’d love to see Bolton make it three, I am still looking for a Drogba hat-trick. His form is incredible, nothing less. He’s averaged eight points since I gave him a berth after week three. With ten games his stats read- eights goals, seven assists and nine bonus points. I know he won’t let me down. Tamir Cohen takes the second place on the bench. He’s been relegated because the goal flurry has ended; Chelsea won’t be an easy club to restart it against. Somehow I hope Joe Cole doesn’t lift off again like he did against Blackburn and the league leaders find a way to drop points.

This week my two guys representing the champions are O’Shea and Evra. It’s interesting to see these two working as closely as they are just weeks away from the most critical matches of their lives. All friendship will be put on hold when they clash at the world cup playoffs. Until then there is the matter of landing me two clean sheets and twelve points. Against Blackburn at Old Trafford there will be a decent chance of that happening, but the greater prospects lie with Rooney and whoever lines up by his side. Blackburn have seen thirteen roll past their defenceless goal-line over the last three matches. Will they put in a performance like last season, when it took a rocket from CR7 to separate the North-Westerners? No, probably not.