Betting tips went the way everyone expected in North London, while live betting had a surprising twist in Turin.
But one thing’s for sure: after these pulsating first legs, no-one would bet against Barcelona.
Here were two football games where class, ultimately, shone through.
Arsenal 0-2 Barcelona
Arsenal’s modern day rivalry with the Catalans goes back a decade.
And the Catalans have prevailed every time.
Of course, it helps when you have the world’s number one on your side as Lionel Messi – who else?! – broke two more records.
Until this encounter, the Argentine magician had never scored against Petr Cech, nor against an English team away from home.
Arsenal, who have lost in at this stage for the last five successive years, were disciplined but, urged on by their supporters, pressed forward as the game progressed.