Lionel Messi scored four goals for FC Barcelona on Tuesday, taking his team to the Champions League semi-finals for the third year in a row.

Nicklas Bendtner scored the lone goal for Arsenal with an 18th-minute opener, but 22-year old Argentinean superstar Messi took over after that, scoring his fourth hat-trick of this year.

"We tried as much as we could but they got the better of us and were the better side tonight. (Messi) is a phenomenal player and he showed that again tonight," Bendtner told dpa.

Barcelona advance on a 6-3 aggregate to play group stage rival Inter Milan at the semi-finals.

Dutch treat

In the other match on Tuesday evening, Dutch playmaker Wesley Sneijder paved the way to the Champions League semi-final for Inter Milan with an early goal that secured a 1-0 victory over CSKA Moscow in their last eight second leg.

Inter advance to the semi-final with a 2-0 win on aggregate.

It will be the first UEFA Champions League semi-final in seven years for Inter Milan, who will face off against defending champions Barcelona. The first leg will be played in Milan on April 20, the second leg in Barcelona on April 28.

smh/AFP/Reuters/dpa
Editor:Catherine Bolsover