Replay the Etihad After the Penalty

What actually happened

Champions League round of 16, 18 February 2014, minute 53: Iniesta played Messi through, Demichelis brought him down from behind, and Jonas Eriksson gave a red card and a penalty. Messi scored in the 54th; replays suggested the foul began outside the box.

Dani Alves added a 90th-minute second. Pellegrini said the referee 'was not impartial' and that appointing 'a referee from Sweden' had been a mistake; UEFA banned him for three matches and he apologised.

Why it was disputed

The red card as last man was a straight red under the 2014 law. The penalty is the question: a foul is penalised where it is committed, and where this one began is what the jury weighs.

Review the real evidence and cast your verdict →

How the replay adapts it

You take City from the 54th minute, 0–1 down with ten men, six six-minute beats to full time. History scores again in the 90th.

This is a first leg: finish level and the tie is alive for Camp Nou, which counts as the win. Two goals that survive review do it.

Questions the court gets asked

Is this the real 2014 tie?

A satirical adaptation of Manchester City 0–2 Barcelona, from the penalty onward. Players are fictional stand-ins; the referee parodies the jury's verdict on the real incident.

Why does 2–2 count as a win?

Because a first-leg draw at home keeps the tie alive for the second leg, which is all City were playing for with ten men. The tribunal does not simulate Camp Nou.

Can I avoid the red card?

No. The card and the penalty are history; the 36 minutes after them are yours.