Lionel Messi netted twice in Barcelona’s convincing 3-0 victory over Juventus that kicked off their Champions League campaign in style, while Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United and Chelsea also won big on Tuesday.
Barcelona took revenge of last season’s humiliating 3-0 loss at the hands of Juventus in the quarter-final of the UEFA Champions League by inflicting a 3-0 loss to the Turin giants at the Camp Nou.
Lionel Messi netted a brilliant brace as Barcelona recorded a dominant victory over Juventus by 3-0 and interestingly, it was also the first time that Messi defeated Juventus’ goalkeeper was Gigi Buffon, who had managed to keep him without a goal in their previous three meetings.
Ousmane Dembele made his first start for the Catalan club and 20-year-old France forward helped Lionel Messi in scoring his first goal of the Barcelona vs Juventus game when they caught the visitors’ off-guard.
Lionel Messi took the ball from Dembele, worked it with a quick one-two passing combination with Suarez and then struck a left-footed shot just inside the far post, defeating Buffon in the 45th minute. Messi then helped make it 2-0 in the 56th minute when Stefano Sturaro cleared a dangerous low cross by the Argentine, back to Rakitic, who fired it home.
Also Read: Lionel Messi Turns 30: Best Goals, Assists And Match Winning Performances
It was fine play from the Argentine that led to Ivan Rakitic doubling Barca’s lead on 56 minutes and Messi saved the best for last with a sublime goal to complete the victory midway through the second half.
Lionel Messi got his double in the 66th minute when he traveled with the ball to the right side, cut back to go around Juventus’ defense before he left Buffon haywire with another left-footed strike which touched the lower corner of his net.
The result gave Barcelona revenge for their defeat to Juventus in last season’s quarter-finals and leaves them on top of Group D alongside Sporting Lisbon, who won 3-2 away to Olympiakos in Greece.
While Lionel Messi, Barcelona’s all-time top scorer, has scored eight goals in six appearances across all competitions this season, his brace during the Barcelona vs Juventus meant that he now has 96 goals in the Champions League.
Here are the best tweets:
Messi. Less a footballer. More a human wonder. Never for one second should we take for granted our ability to watch him play in the flesh
— roger bennett (@rogbennett) September 12, 2017
https://twitter.com/Fcbdailyy/status/907701107610095616
Imagine music without John Lennon. Art without Picasso. Football without Messi. Only three people. But the world would be quite different
— Guillem Balague (@GuillemBalague) September 12, 2017
https://twitter.com/messi10stats/status/907709170937294848
Leo Messi has scored 9️⃣6️⃣ goals in the #UCL ⚽️
Top scorer this season? pic.twitter.com/ipMrgulMlf
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 12, 2017
https://twitter.com/messi10stats/status/907705359439036416
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