Messi Starts Champions League with ‘Super’ Hat-trick
Barcelona 4-0 PSV
- Barcelona 4-0 PSV
- Messi net hat-trick (31, 77, 88)
- Dembele nets wonderful second (75)
- Umtiti sent off, will miss Spurs trip (79)
- Champions League, Group B
Barcelona started their Champions League campaign with an emphatic victory against PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday.
It was aconvincing victory for Barcelona with a hat-trick from Lionel Messi – who else? – plus a wonderful goal from youngster Ousmane Dembele.
You wouldn’t have even guessed that Barcelona ended the game with ten men after Samuel Umtiti was sent off for two yellow cards late on, meaning he will now miss the trip to Wembley in a few weeks time.
A tough evening for PSV who could not get their game going, and it’s a first loss as manager for Mark Van Bommel.
The ‘Super’ Barcelona star player scored the first hat-trick of the UEFA Champions League 2018.
The Argentine striker curled a beautiful left-footed strike into the top corner to give Barcelona the first goal before scoring the two other goals.
Lionel Messi’s goal means he has now scored in 14 consecutive Champions League seasons.
He’s just the second player ever to do so after Raul.
Team news
Barcelona v PSV Eindhoven
Philippe Coutinho makes his Champions League debut for Barcelona – having been ineligible last season when he joined them from Liverpool in January.
Three summer signings are on the bench, but nine of the XI started in last season’s collapse to Roma.
PSV keep the same XI who thrashed Den Haag 7-0 on Saturday, with Mexico World Cup star Hirving Lozano likely to be the key man up front. Former Newcastle loanee Luuk de Jong captains the team.
Barcelona: Ter Stegen, Umtiti, Alba, Roberto, Pique, Coutinho, Busquets, Rakitic, Suarez, Messi, Dembele.
PSV: Zoet, Angelino, Schwaab, Dumfries, Viergever, Rosario, Hendrix, Pereiro, Lozano, De Jong, Bergwijn