Champions League: Messi nets hat trick against former coach's team
Arsenal routs Ludogorets, Bayern regains its form
Lionel Messi scored a hat trick to deal a humbling defeat to his former mentor Pep Guardiola on Wednesday, leading Barcelona to an emphatic 4-0 victory over Manchester City in the Champions League.
Messi sped through City's defence and around former Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo before giving the hosts the 17th-minute lead in a Group C match that both teams finished with 10 men.
It only got worse for Bravo, who was sent off in the 53rd minute for using his hands to block a shot outside the area after his poor pass gifted the ball to Luis Suarez.
Messi struck again in the 61st and 69th to take his total to 89 goals in Europe's top club competition. The Argentina forward is second only to Cristiano Ronaldo's 98.
Neymar rounded off the win from a pass by Messi, moments after the Brazil striker had missed a penalty that Messi had earned.
Guardiola lost for the second time upon returning to Camp Nou where he established himself as one of the world's top managers by leading Barcelona to 14 titles from 2008-12. The former Barcelona midfielder coached Bayern Munich when the German side lost 3-0 here in the Champions League semifinals two years ago, when Messi scored twice.
After winning its first 10 matches under Guardiola, City has now gone winless in four games in all competitions.
Barcelona extended its unbeaten run at home in European competition to 18 matches. A third win in as many games increased the five-time European champion control of the group. Barcelona has nine points, while City was left with four.
The two powerhouses will meet again in Manchester on November 1.
Arsenal routs Ludogorets
Messi wasn't the only high-profile footballer with a hat trick on Wednesday.
German international Mesut Oezil fired a second-half hat trick as Arsenal took a big step to qualifying for the knockout stage of the Champions League with a 6-0 rout of Bulgarian champion Ludogorets.
The north London side, which is now unbeaten since the opening game of the season two months ago, tops Group A of the Champions League at the halfway mark with seven points from three games. Ludogorets languishes in bottom place with just one point.
Bayern's back, tell your friends
Bayern Munich dispelled any doubts about its commitment by ending a three-match winless run with a comfortable 4-1 victory over PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Bayern wobbled briefly after PSV had cut the deficit to 2-1 but quickly restored its dominance to extend its Champions League home record of 14 consecutive wins.
Thomas Mueller opened the scoring in the 13th, Joshua Kimmich doubled the lead in the 21st, before Luciano Narsingh pulled one back for the visiting team in the 43rd with its first shot at goal.
Robert Lewandowski scored in the 59th, just as PSV seemed to be making a comeback and Arjen Robben got the insurance in the 84th.
Bayern now has six points in Group D, while Atlético Madrid, which won 1-0 in Rostov, has nine. PSV and FC Rostov are both one point each.
The win puts Bayern back on course for a place in the last 16 following its defeat at Madrid. After that defeat Bayern drew its next two Bundesliga matches, leading club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge to question the players' attitude. Carlo Ancelotti's team quickly seized control and nearly monopolized possession in the first half. But Bayern's defence showed some weaknesses when PSV stepped up the pace after its goal.
Wednesday's other results:
- Besiktas 3, Napoli 2
- Paris Saint-Germain 3, FC Basel 0
- Benfica 2, Dynamo Kyiv 0
- Borussia Moenchengladbach 2, Celtic 0