Barcelona: Lionel Messi hailed under-fire Barcelona as back to their best as they saw off Manchester City to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League and keep alive their hopes of the treble.


Barcelona teammates celebrate after Lionel Messi scores the opening goal against Man City on Wednesday. Pic/AFP 

Critics had rounded on Barca and their coach Gerardo Martino after the reigning champions suffered three defeats in six Primera Division matches, with the latest — a shock 1-0 reverse at lowly Real Valladolid on Saturday — seeing them fall four points behind arch rivals Real Madrid in the title race.