Lionel Messi scored a marvellous hat-trick as Barcelona got their Champions League campaign up and running with a 4-0 win over PSV at Camp Nou.
2018/2019 UEFA Champions League
4-0
Match Events
0' UCL is finally back to Camp Nou
7' CHANCE! Pereiro's shot over the bar
OVER! Lozano's delivery causes problems for the home side and the loose ball falls favourably for Pereiro to strike at goal. He shots on the half-volley on his left foot, sending his effort narrowly over the bar. A warning for Barca.
14' CLOSE! Bergwijn's shot flashes past the back post
CLOSE! Dembele loses out on the edge of the PSV box and it allows the visitors to break. Bergwijn collects De Jong's pass in the final third and goes for the strike towards the bottom corner. His effort is a good one, but does not have the curl to find the back of the net, travelling just wide of the target.
21' CHANCE! Suarez's shot wide out
WIDE! Messi plays a delightful reverse pass for the run of Suarez in the right inside channel. The Uruguayan goes for the first-time strike, blasting his effort into the side-netting.
31' GOAL! Barcelona 1-0 PSV (Messi)
Absolute magic and once AGAIN, Messi's magical left foot produces a wonderful, curling free kick that nestles into the top corner.
Just sublime and it's a 61st Champions League group stage goal for Messi.
36' SAVE! An audacious effort from Suarez
50' SHOT! A decent effort from Messi
67' CLOSE! Suarez's shot off the bar
74' GOAL! Barcelona 2-0 PSV (Dembele)
DEMBELE SCORES A STUNNER!!! BARCELONA 2-0!!!! The Catalan club kill off the game as the Frenchman scores a brilliant individual goal. Dembele turns out of two challenges with a neat turn, leaving the PSV defence rooted to the spot. He reaches the edge of the box before bending a pinpoint effort past the hand of Zoet into the bottom corner. A fantastic effort from Dembele.
77' GOAL! Barcelona 3-0 PSV (Messi)
MESSI KILLS OFF THE CONTEST!! BARCELONA 3-0!!! The Argentine notches his second of the contest to secure the three points. Rakitic lifts a ball over the top of the PSV backline and Messi times his run to perfection to latch on to the offload. Messi takes on the strike first time and buries his effort into the bottom corner, leaving Zoet with no chance.
79' Second Yellow Card! Umtiti sent off
RED CARD! Umtiti blocks off the run of Lozano and the referee shows him a second yellow card. A needless dismissal for the Frenchman as his side have the three points in hand.
87' GOAL! Barcelona 4-0 PSV (Messi)
HAT-TRICK FOR MESSI!!! BARCELONA HAVE FOUR!!! The Argentine completes his hat-trick with a fine finish from the inside right channel. Suarez releases his team-mate with a precise throughball, sending him behind the PSV backline. Messi holds his composure and buries a right-footed effort past Zoet into the bottom corner. A brilliant finish from the forward.
Match Report
The Barca captain opened the scoring in the 31st minute with a wonderful free-kick - his eighth scored in 2018 - before Ousmane Dembele (75) struck in a similar curling fashion in the second half.
Messi then tapped home from close range two minutes later, although Samuel Umtiti was sent off after receiving a second yellow card not long after following a forceful challenge on Hirving Lozano.
The Argentine completed his treble with a sweeping effort in the 88th minute to seal an impressive first victory of the campaign in Group B.
Line-ups
Barcelona XI: L. Messi, L. Suárez, Piqué, I. Rakitić, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Philippe Coutinho, M. ter Stegen, S.Roberto, S. Umtiti, O. Dembélé
Subs: Vidal, Jasper Cillessen, Rafinha, Lenglet, Semedo, Arthur, Munir
PSV XI: Daniel Schwaab, Jeroen Zoet, Luuk de Jong, Nick Viergever, Jorrit Hendrix, Gastón Pereiro, Angeliño, Steven Bergwijn, H. Lozano, Denzel Dumfries, Pablo Rosario
Subs: Eloy Room, A. Behich, T. Sainsbury, Nicolas Isimat-Mirin, Erick Gutiérrez, Bart Ramselaar, Donyell Malen