Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia admits they had little answer to Barcelona star Lionel Messi last night.

Almunia, so impressive in the first leg, admitted he faced a torrid time in trying to repel the threat of Messi, who hit a hat-trick inside 21 first-half minutes before completing his tally two minutes from time.

"You try to anticipate what he is going to do but it is very difficult," the Spaniard said.

"He can do whatever he wants and at any moment, and it's difficult to stop this kind of player."