<!--Article Start--> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td class="document jq_ColDocument jq_ShareArea"> <div class="tooltipContent"> <div class="scrollContent jq_Content jq_langdir tinyscrollbar doctooltip-y fontsize_0"> <div class="viewport"> <div class="overview"> <h3 style="text-align: justify">Bayer Leverkusen bowed out of the Champions League on Wednesday despite holding a weakened Barcelona side, led by goal-scorer Lionel Messi, to a 1-1 draw.</h3> <p style="text-align: justify">The Argentinian superstar gave Barca the lead at the BayArena with a trademark early goal which was cancelled out by Javier Hernandez's 14th for Leverkusen in all competitions this season.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">With Roma drawing 0-0 at home to BATE Borisov, Leverkusen had to beat Barcelona to progress but the Germans will instead find themselves in the Europa League come February.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">"I can't believe that we didn't win, I'm very disappointed, and the fact that Roma didn't beat BATE makes it a tragedy," said Leverkusen coach Roger Schmidt.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">"We had the chances, we just didn't use them."</p> <p style="text-align: justify">The Spaniards went through to the knock-out stages, for the 12th year in succession, as Group E winners, ahead of Roma.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Barcelona coach Luis Enrique started just four of the side which beat Juventus 3-1 in last season's final in Berlin -- goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Ivan Rakitic, Jordi Alba and captain Messi.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Cameroon teenager Wilfrid Kaptoum made his Champions League debut and midfielder Sergi Samper made only his third appearance at this level in an experimental side.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">First-choice Spain internationals Andres Iniesta and Gerard Pique were left in Barcelona while Dani Alves was suspended.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Brazil superstar Neymar injured his groin in training on Tuesday and Luis Suarez spent the game on the bench.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">The team selection was understandable as Barcelona have a busy spell coming up with the Catalans playing a Club World Cup semi-final in Japan on December 17.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">"I wanted to give the players who have played the most this season a rest and I saw some good signs against a team which really had to win," said Enrique.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">"This game was a litmus test to see how we'd cope. A few of our young players did well in the Champions League arena.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">"We'd like to have won, but Bayer gave their all and we didn't want to burden our players with qualification assured."</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Leverkusen failed in their bid to beat the Spanish giants despite having 25 shots on goal compared to the Spaniards' six.</p> . <p style="text-align: justify">This was their seventh straight defeat to Barca, who took the lead when Rakitic's through ball caught the defence napping and gave Messi a one-on-one with Bernd Leno.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Barca's superstar calmly rounded the Leverkusen goalkeeper and slotted home with a trademark finish on 20 minutes.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Having been unlucky to lose 2-1 at the Camp Nou in September, Leverkusen did not panic at the BayArena and drew level when Hernandez claimed his 12th goal in Leverkusen's last 11 games.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Swiss winger Admir Mehmedi put in a low cross, which Hakan Calhanoglu left for the Mexican striker and Hernandez crashed his shot past Ter Stegen with his left foot on 24 minutes.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">It was 1-1 at the break, but Calhanoglu missed a golden chance in the opening minutes of the second-half to put the hosts ahead.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Hernandez lobbed pass put him one-on-one with Ter Stegen, but Calhanoglu fired across the face of the Barca goal.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">With an hour gone, Karim Bellarabi squandered a half-chance when he fired at Ter Stegen after getting in behind the defence.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">With ten minutes left another deft through ball from Rakitic released Sergio Ramirez for a rare Barcelona attack, but the Spain Under-21 winger's cross was pounced on by Leno as it finished level.</p> <p style="text-align: justify"><strong>By AFP</strong></p> </div> </div> </div> </div></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <!--Article End-->