Messi kicks off Champions League wit hat-trick as Barca beat PSV 4-0

Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-19 10:11:31|Editor: Li Xia
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MADRID, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- Leo Messi scored a hat-trick and Ousmane Dembele scored a wonder goal to get FC Barcelona's Champions League campaign off to a winning start at home to Dutch side, PSV Eindhoven.

Messi netted a first-half free kick and then took advantage of a pass from Ivan Rakitic to net his second, before sealing his hat-trick in the closing minutes of a game Barca ended with 10 men after central defender Samuel Umtiti was sent off for two yellow cards.

Barca coach Ernesto Valverde again started the game without any of the club's summer signings in the side, but with Phillipe Coutinho making his first Champions League debut for the club.

The first half was remarkably open and Valverde won't have been happy to see Barca concede chances to Luuk de Jong and Steven Bergwijn and PSV's pace in attack again found weaknesses in the Barca back line.

Barca also had chances with Ousmane Dembele firing wide, Messi shooting over and Sergi Roberto drawing a pair of comfortable saves from visiting keeper Jeroen Zoet.

Messi opened the scoring with a magnificent free kick which gave Zoet no chance in the 31st minute to net his 101st goal in the competition.

The game remained open in the second half with PSV still giving Barca problems on the break, before two goals in three minutes killed the game.

Dembele scored the first of those in the 74th minute, when he collected the ball in midfield before turning, beating two rivals and beat Zoet with a curling shot into the corner of the net.

Messi then scored his second of the game three minutes later, sweeping home with his left foot following Rakitic's neat ball over the visiting defense.

Umtiti was then shown a second yellow card for a clear obstruction against Hirving Lozano, but that didn't stop Messi finishing his hat-trick after Suarez's pass put him clean through on goal.

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