Match ends, Barcelona 4, PSV Eindhoven 0.
18 Sep 2018
Messi scores hat-trick as Barca beat PSV
Lionel Messi scored his eighth Champions League hat-trick as Barcelona thrashed Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven in their opening group game.
Barca's captain curled home a stunning free-kick to open the scoring before Luis Suarez's clever 20-yard lob hit the crossbar.
The impressive Ousmane Dembele spun to lose two defenders and blasted home Barcelona's second from outside the box.
Messi half-volleyed Ivan Rakitic's aerial pass home for their third before Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti was sent off for two yellow cards.
The 10 men got a fourth goal when Suarez picked out Messi, who guided the ball past goalkeeper Jeroen Zoet from 15 yards.
The other game in Group B saw Inter Milan come from behind to beat Tottenham 2-1 at the San Siro.
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Electric Messi on top form
Messi, now Barcelona's captain after Andres Iniesta's departure, looks to have put another disappointing World Cup behind him - he scored once as Argentina lost in the last 16 in Russia.
He has now scored seven goals in six games this season, as well as going close with another free-kick in the second half and creating good chances for Suarez and Roberto.
All his goals were excellent. First he whipped in his eighth free-kick of 2018 - right into the top corner beyond Zoet's reach from 20 yards. He sweetly struck home Rakitic's lofted ball and late on met Suarez's pass to add a third.
He has now scored 104 goals in the competition and has netted in a 14th consecutive Champions League campaign - a joint record with Real Madrid legend Raul.
Is this Barcelona's year?
Barcelona have been knocked out at the quarter-final stage for three consecutive years - with Real Madrid winning the tournament in each of those campaigns.
Barca players have spoken this summer about how much the Champions League means to them as they bid to win it for the first time since 2015.
Last season's Spanish double winners looked sharp against a side who had won their previous seven games and scored 13 goals in the past two - although PSV were better than the 4-0 scoreline suggests.
With starts for nine of the 11 players who capitulated to Roma last season, Barca began the game strongly and Philippe Coutinho, on his Champions League debut for the club, headed over from Suarez's cross.
Zoet made good saves to deny Sergi Roberto and Coutinho.
PSV put up a good fight - Steven Bergwijn curled just wide from outside the box, Gaston Pereiro shot over, Mexican World Cup star Hirving Lozano missed chances and Angelino forced a Marc-Andre ter Stegen save with a 30-yard drive.
It was only 1-0 until the 74th minute before the game got away from PSV, who lose for the first time in 90 minutes under new manager Mark van Bommel, the former Barcelona midfielder.
More to follow.
- Line-ups
- Match Stats
- Live Text
Line-ups
Barcelona
- 1ter Stegen
- 20Roberto
- 3Piqué
- 23UmtitiBooked at 79mins
- 18Alba
- 4RakiticSubstituted forVidalat 85'minutes
- 5Busquets
- 7CoutinhoSubstituted forLengletat 81'minutes
- 10Messi
- 9Suárez
- 11DembéléSubstituted forRamos de Oliveira Meloat 83'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Cabral Semedo
- 8Ramos de Oliveira Melo
- 12Rafinha
- 13Cillessen
- 15Lenglet
- 19El Haddadi
- 22Vidal
PSV Eindhoven
- 1Zoet
- 22Dumfries
- 5Schwaab
- 4ViergeverBooked at 30minsSubstituted forIsimat-Mirinat 66'minutes
- 6Angelino
- 18RosarioSubstituted forGutiérrezat 82'minutes
- 8Hendrix
- 11Lozano
- 7Pereiro
- 17BergwijnSubstituted forMalenat 78'minutes
- 9de JongBooked at 57mins
Substitutes
- 2Isimat-Mirin
- 3Behich
- 13Room
- 14Malen
- 20Sainsbury
- 23Ramselaar
- 25Gutiérrez
- Referee:
- Anastasios Sidiropoulos
Match Stats
Home TeamBarcelonaAway TeamPSV Eindhoven
- Possession
- Home75%
- Away25%
- Shots
- Home21
- Away14
- Shots on Target
- Home9
- Away1
- Corners
- Home8
- Away1
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away12
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Barcelona 4, PSV Eindhoven 0.
Attempt missed. Donyell Malen (PSV Eindhoven) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Hirving Lozano.
Attempt missed. Jorrit Hendrix (PSV Eindhoven) left footed shot from outside the box is too high following a set piece situation.
Attempt blocked. Gastón Pereiro (PSV Eindhoven) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Foul by Clément Lenglet (Barcelona).
Hirving Lozano (PSV Eindhoven) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Arthur (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Denzel Dumfries (PSV Eindhoven).
Goal!
Goal! Barcelona 4, PSV Eindhoven 0. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Luis Suárez.
Substitution
Substitution, Barcelona. Arturo Vidal replaces Ivan Rakitic.
Substitution
Substitution, Barcelona. Arthur replaces Ousmane Dembélé.
Offside, PSV Eindhoven. Gastón Pereiro tries a through ball, but Hirving Lozano is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, PSV Eindhoven. Erick Gutiérrez replaces Pablo Rosario.
Marc-André ter Stegen (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Nicolas Isimat-Mirin (PSV Eindhoven).
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Substitution
Substitution, Barcelona. Clément Lenglet replaces Coutinho.
Delay in match Hirving Lozano (PSV Eindhoven) because of an injury.
Dismissal
Second yellow card to Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona) for a bad foul.
Foul by Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona).
Hirving Lozano (PSV Eindhoven) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, PSV Eindhoven. Donyell Malen replaces Steven Bergwijn.
Goal!
Goal! Barcelona 3, PSV Eindhoven 0. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Ivan Rakitic.
Ousmane Dembélé (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Denzel Dumfries (PSV Eindhoven).
Goal!
Goal! Barcelona 2, PSV Eindhoven 0. Ousmane Dembélé (Barcelona) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Coutinho.
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Denzel Dumfries.
Marc-André ter Stegen (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Steven Bergwijn (PSV Eindhoven).
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Denzel Dumfries.
Luis Suárez (Barcelona) hits the bar with a right footed shot from outside the box.
Ousmane Dembélé (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Denzel Dumfries (PSV Eindhoven).
Substitution
Substitution, PSV Eindhoven. Nicolas Isimat-Mirin replaces Nick Viergever.
Attempt missed. Hirving Lozano (PSV Eindhoven) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Gastón Pereiro.
Corner, PSV Eindhoven. Conceded by Gerard Piqué.
Attempt blocked. Hirving Lozano (PSV Eindhoven) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Steven Bergwijn.
Attempt saved. Angeliño (PSV Eindhoven) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Steven Bergwijn.
Attempt missed. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top right corner from a direct free kick.
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