Champions League
BarcelonaBarcelona4Man CityManchester City0

Barcelona 4-0 Manchester City

By Aimee LewisBBC Sport
Lionel Messi scores
Messi has scored more Champions League goals against English clubs than against sides from any other country

Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick as Barcelona punished 10-man Manchester City in the Champions League on Pep Guardiola's return to his old club.

City were competitive in the first half, but made far too many errors against a ruthless Barcelona revelling in Messi's return from injury.

A Fernandinho slip inside his own box put Messi clear for his first, then Kevin de Bruyne lost possession allowing Andres Iniesta to set up the Argentine for a left-footed strike into the bottom corner.

The evening got worse for the visitors when goalkeeper Claudio Bravo was sent off for handling outside the box and minutes later Messi struck again.

Barcelona were also reduced to 10 men in the last 15 minutes as substitute Jeremy Mathieu was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Raheem Sterling, but by then the damage had been done.

Willy Caballero saved a late Neymar penalty, but the Brazilian scored from open play minutes later to complete a comprehensive win for the La Liga side.

The victory maintained Barcelona's 100% start in Group C and extended their lead over City to five points.

It was the first time City had conceded four times in the competition and another miserable return to the Nou Camp for Guardiola.

During his celebrated four-year tenure as Barcelona manager the Catalan won 14 trophies, but he has now twice lost heavily to the Spaniards - the other defeat a 3-0 first-leg semi-final loss against Bayern Munich.

Claudio Bravo
Manchester City have kept just one clean sheet in their past 15 Champions League away games

Aguero a shock omission

Messi's compatriot Sergio Aguero was only named on the substitutes' bench for City as Guardiola chose De Bruyne in the 'false nine' position, with Sterling, David Silva and Nolito in support.

If it was a surprising decision, the tactics were largely effective in the first half as City, crowding the midfield and pressing high, proved Barcelona's equal in terms of possession and passes and were undone by the sort of mistake it is impossible to protect against.

The visitors had chances of their own too. Nolito forced keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen into action, while John Stones should have headed home a wonderful Silva free-kick.

But City's fate was sealed before the hour when Bravo clumsily passed to Luis Suarez and, despite being outside the box, instinctively saved the striker's chip, leaving referee Milorad Mazic with little option but to send him off.

To add to City's woes, Pablo Zabaleta was forced from the field, the captain injured in the build-up to Bravo's sending-off and replaced by Gael Clichy. City reverted to a three-man defence, but more goals followed.

The defeat adds to the team's first wobble of the Guardiola era with the Premier League leaders now without a victory in four matches and ahead of Arsenal in the Premier League on only goal difference.

Messi back and scoring again

Lionel Messi

Barcelona had yet to hit the heights of last season this term, but one reason for that was the recent absence of Messi with a groin injury.

The Argentine scored within three minutes of his La Liga return at the weekend, and in front of his old boss proved again what a magical player he is.

He ruthlessly took advantage of Fernandinho's slip and revelled in the space created by Bravo's sending-off. He scored from three of his four shots and also created chances for others.

It was Messi's weaving run that forced a panicked Aleksandar Kolarov to concede the penalty and then the Argentine put Neymar through for Barca's fourth.

Man of the match - Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

Lionel Messi
Who else? The Argentine ended with a hat-trick, an assist and made more passes in the opposition half than any other Barca player.

The stats you need to know

  • Lionel Messi has scored 15 goals in his past 13 Champions League games against English opposition.
  • Manchester City suffered their heaviest Champions League defeat, conceding four goals for the first time.
  • Messi's opening goal was the 100th in all competitions for him, Neymar and Luis Suarez combined in 2016.
  • Messi is now the top scorer in home games in Champions League history (50).
  • Pep Guardiola has conceded nine goals in three Champions League meetings with Barcelona since leaving the Catalan giants.
  • Barcelona have missed 11 of their 27 penalties taken in all competitions since the start of 2015-16.

Line-ups

Barcelona

Formation 4-3-3

  • 1ter Stegen
  • 14Mascherano
  • 3PiquéSubstituted forMathieuat 39'minutesBooked at 73mins
  • 23Umtiti
  • 18AlbaSubstituted forDigneat 10'minutes
  • 4Rakitic
  • 5Busquets
  • 8IniestaSubstituted forAndré Gomesat 80'minutes
  • 10Messi
  • 9Suárez
  • 11Neymar

Substitutes

  • 7Turan
  • 12Rafinha
  • 17Alcácer
  • 19Digne
  • 21André Gomes
  • 24Mathieu
  • 25Masip

Man City

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1BravoBooked at 53mins
  • 5ZabaletaSubstituted forClichyat 57'minutes
  • 30Otamendi
  • 24Stones
  • 11Kolarov
  • 25FernandinhoBooked at 40mins
  • 8GündoganSubstituted forAgüeroat 79'minutes
  • 7SterlingBooked at 90mins
  • 21SilvaBooked at 28mins
  • 9NolitoSubstituted forCaballeroat 57'minutes
  • 17De Bruyne

Substitutes

  • 6Reges
  • 10Agüero
  • 13Caballero
  • 15Navas
  • 19Sané
  • 22Clichy
  • 50Maffeo
Referee:
Milorad Mazic
Attendance:
96,290

Match Stats

Home TeamBarcelonaAway TeamMan City
Possession
Home53%
Away47%
Shots
Home12
Away8
Shots on Target
Home7
Away4
Corners
Home3
Away4
Fouls
Home15
Away18

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Barcelona 4, Manchester City 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Barcelona 4, Manchester City 0.

  3. Post update

    Delay over. They are ready to continue.

  4. Booking

    Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) is shown the yellow card.

  5. Post update

    Delay in match Lucas Digne (Barcelona) because of an injury.

  6. Goal!

    Goal! Barcelona 4, Manchester City 0. Neymar (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Lionel Messi.

  7. Post update

    Lucas Digne (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  8. Post update

    Foul by Raheem Sterling (Manchester City).

  9. Post update

    Penalty saved! Neymar (Barcelona) fails to capitalise on this great opportunity, right footed shot saved in the bottom left corner.

  10. Post update

    Penalty Barcelona. Lionel Messi draws a foul in the penalty area.

  11. Post update

    Penalty conceded by Aleksandar Kolarov (Manchester City) after a foul in the penalty area.

  12. Post update

    André Gomes (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  13. Post update

    Foul by Raheem Sterling (Manchester City).

  14. Post update

    Foul by Lucas Digne (Barcelona).

  15. Post update

    Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  16. Post update

    Attempt saved. Neymar (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ivan Rakitic.

  17. Substitution

    Substitution, Barcelona. André Gomes replaces Andrés Iniesta.

  18. Substitution

    Substitution, Manchester City. Sergio Agüero replaces Ilkay Gündogan.

  19. Post update

    Lionel Messi (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  20. Post update

    Foul by Fernandinho (Manchester City).

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Scores, Results & Fixtures

Wednesday 19th October 2016

As It Stood

A

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Arsenal32109187
2PSG32107257
3FC Basel301216-51
4Ludogorets3012210-81

B

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Napoli32018626
2Besiktas31205415
3Benfica31115504
4Dynamo Kyiv301225-31

C

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Barcelona3300131129
2Man City31117704
3B Mgladbach310236-33
4Celtic3012312-91

D

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Atl Madrid33003039
2Bayern Munich32019276
3FC Rostov301228-61
4PSV Eindhoven301237-41

E

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Monaco31204315
2Tottenham31112204
3B Leverkusen30303303
4CSKA Moscow302134-12

F

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1B Dortmund321010377
2Real Madrid32109457
3Sporting31024403
4Legia Warsaw3003113-120

G

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Leicester33005059
2FC Copenhagen31115234
3FC Porto31113304
4Club Bruges300319-80

H

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Juventus32105057
2Sevilla32102027
3Lyon31023213
4Dinamo Zagreb300308-80
View full Champions League tables

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