Barcelona dented Tottenham’s Champions League hopes as they triumphed 4-2 in a pulsating Wembley encounter that was lit up by Lionel Messi on Wednesday.
The Argentine scored twice, played a major role in Barca’s other goals and hit the post twice as Tottenham slipped to back-to-back defeats in Group B.
Philippe Coutinho set the tempo for a breathtaking spectacle by scoring after 95 seconds, following some horrendous decision making by the returning Hugo Lloris, before Ivan Rakitic doubled the lead with a spectacular half-volley (28).
Messi should have wrapped the game up but hit the same post twice in three minutes and this opened the door for Harry Kane (52) to hit back for Spurs.
Messi quickly restored the two-goal lead (56) but Erik Lamela (66) set up a grandstand finish that almost led to an equaliser, but Messi had the last laugh in the 90th minute, wrapping up the points with his fifth Champions League goal of this campaign already.
Player Ratings
Tottenham: Lloris (5), Trippier (7), Alderweireld (6), Sanchez (5), Davies (6), Wanyama (4), Winks (6), Lucas (7), Lamela (7), Son (6), Kane (7)
Subs: Dier (6), Sissoko (6), Llorente (6)
Barcelona: Ter Stegen (6), Semedo (7), Pique (6), Lenglet (6), Alba (8), Rakitic (8), Busquets (7), Arthur (7), Messi (9), Suarez (7), Coutinho (7)
Subs: Rafinha (6), Vidal (N/A), Vermaelen (6)
Man of the match: Lionel Messi
Opta stats
- Barcelona have won nine of their last 11 Champions League matches against English clubs (D1 L1), with this their first win in England since February 2016 against Arsenal (2-0).
- Messi has scored more goals (22) and provided more assists (6) against English clubs in the Champions League than against sides from any other nation
- Coutinho was involved in as many goals in his opening 28 minutes against Spurs for Barcelona (1 goal, 1 assist) as he was in his 715 minutes for Liverpool against them (2 goals).
- Lamela’s strike was the 8000th scored in Champions League history.
What’s next?
Tottenham are back at Wembley in the Premier League on Saturday for a 3pm kick-off against Neil Warnock’s Cardiff City.
