Football news - Lionel Messi hits hat-trick as Barcelona thump PSV Eindhoven
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Updated 18/09/2018 at 22:12 GMT
Champions League, Group B, Camp Nou - Barcelona 4 (Messi 31', 77', 87', Dembele 74') PSV Eindhoven 0
Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi (C) celebrates with Barcelona's Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez (L) and Barcelona's Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal after scoring his third goal during the UEFA Champions' League group B football match FC Barcelo
Image credit: Getty Images
Lionel Messi made a flying start to this season's Champions League by netting a hat-trick in Barcelona's 4-0 drubbing of PSV Eindhoven at the Camp Nou.
Messi scored on 31, 77 and 87 minutes with Ousmane Dembele finishing on 74 minutes as the Catalan giants made an impressive opening to this season's tournament.
Barca had Samuel Umtiti sent off on 79 minutes for a late challenge after being earlier booked for dissent, but it mattered little with Messi completing his treble eight minutes later.
Barcelona top Group B along Inter Milan, who scored twice late on to stun Tottenham 2-1 at the San Siro.
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Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring during the UEFA Champions' League group B football match FC Barcelona against PSV Eindhoven at the Camp Nou stadium
Image credit: Getty Images
Barcelona were a little sluggish early on, with PSV missing several good chances to shock the Camp Nou with an opener, but not for the first time, Messi halted an opponent’s progress with otherworldly brilliance as he curled a sumptuous free-kick into the top corner - his eighth goal direct from a free-kick already this season.
After the break, Barca pressed for another, with Luis Suarez unlucky to be denied by the crossbar, before Dembele got the goal his excellent display deserved, with the France international caressing a brilliant strike into the bottom corner after driving at the heart of the PSV defence.
Messi was not letting anyone else have the limelight for too long, though, as he then half-volleyed a brilliant third. Umtiti then earned himself a needless red card, before Messi rounded off the win with another arrowing finish late on to complete his 42nd Barcelona hat-trick.
PSV, who had come into this contest on the back of a 100 per cent record so far under new boss Mark van Bommel, had no answer to the brilliance of the Barca captain. Can he be stopped?
TALKING POINT Messi in the mood to inspire
Last season, Messi put down his cape, and became much more human in the Champions League. Six goals from 10 Champions League appearances is a more than respectable return against the best Europe has to offer, but for Messi, such a record was borderline disastrous. This season, though, it took him 31 minutes to get off the mark, and he did so in typical sumptuous style. If Barcelona are going to knock bitter rivals Real Madrid off their perch, they will need more of the same from Messi - he is in the mood to inspire.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Lionel Messi. What is left to say. 103 Champions League group stage goals for Messi now. His goals were right out of the top drawer, which is almost a given, but his passing was on par, if not better. The best in the world today, if not of all time. We should all be privileged to witness such majesty in our lifetimes.
PLAYER RATINGS
- Barcelona: Ter Stegen 7, Pique 7, Alba 8, Sergi Roberto 7, Umtiti 5, Rakitic 8, Busquets 7, Coutinho 7, Suarez 6, Messi 10, Dembele 9... Subs: Lenglet N/A, Arthur N/A, Vidal N/A.
- PSV: Zoet 7, Dumfries 7, Schwaab 6, Viergever 6, Angelino 5, Rosario 6, Hendrix 6, Pereiro 6, Bergwijn 6, De Jong 6, Lozano 6... Subs: Isimat 6, Gutierrez N/A.
KEY MOMENTS
8' - CLOSE! Poor header from Sergi Roberto falls kindly for Gastón Pereiro, who brings the ball under control before lashing a half volley over the crossbar.
14' - CLOSE! PSV again almost score! Wonderful curling effort after a swift counter from Steven Bergwijn, but the ball just whistles past the post.
31' - GOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLL! Barcelona 1-0 PSV Eindhoven. Yep, you guessed it, more magic from Messi. The weirdest thing about that wonderful free-kick goal from Messi was that it was so utterly predictable. His 61st Champions League group-stage goal was sublime in the extreme, curled over the top of the wall and into the top corner.
55' - MISS! It really should be 2-0 for Barcelona. Great play from Suarez to bounce off his man, get to the byline, pull it back for Coutinho, who looks certain to score, but scoops his shot over the top.
69' - WOODWORK! Incredible improvisation from Suarez and he goes to chip Zoet, beats the PSV goalkeeper, but sees his effort hit the crossbar and fly over the top.
75' - GOOOOOOOALLLLLLL! Barcelona 2-0 PSV. I spoke to soon, and what a goal it was from Dembele! Anything you can do, Lionel, Ousmane can do better. As good a individual goal as you will see from the 21-year-old. He showed wonderful skill to get away from his man, before curling a strike into the bottom corner.
77' - GOOOOOAAAAALLLLL! Barcelona 3-0 PSV. Touche Lionel, touche. Two for Messi, three for Barcelona, game over. Wonderful pass from Rakitic over the top for Messi, who took it on the half volley - the result was glorious.
80' - RED CARD! Not all good news for Barcelona as Umtiti blocks off Lozano to earn himself a second yellow card and his marching orders. He will now miss the trip to Wembley to take on Tottenham.
88' - GOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLL!!!! Barcelona 4-0 PSV. Hat-trick number 42 for Messi to complete the rout. So, so easy. Great build-up from Barca, Suarez steers the ball through for Messi and, on his supposed weaker right foot, he rifles the ball into the bottom corner for another Champions League treble.
KEY STATS
- Barcelona have won 25 of their last 27 Champions League games at the Camp Nou (W25 D2 L0), with their last defeat there dating back to May 2013 against Bayern Munich (0-3).
- Lionel Messi has scored versus 30 different Champions League sides, only Raul (33) and Cristiano Ronaldo (32) have scored against more different opponents.
- Messi has scored more hat-tricks than any other player in Champions League/European Cup history (8).
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