Messi hat-trick powers Barca

Lionel Messi pictures the Champions League ending with him hoisting the trophy and it began with him scoring a hat-trick last night as Barcelona put four goals past PSV Eindhoven.

A stunning Mauro Icardi volley sparked a stunning late Inter Milan comeback as the Italian side beat Tottenham 2-1 on their return to the Champions League after a seven-year absence.

Christian Eriksen’s deflected strike gave Spurs a 53rd-minute lead at the San Siro, and the visitors looked comfortable for much of the second half.

But Argentinian striker Icardi hammered home a magnificent volley in the 86th minute to draw Inter level, and Matias Vecino took advantage of some slack Tottenham defending at a corner to nod in a dramatic injury-time winner.

The win leaves Inter second in the early Group B table, behind Barcelona on goal difference after the Catalan giants thrashed PSV Eindhoven 4-0 with a Lionel Messi hat-trick.

An early kick-off at Camp Nou meant that before most of the tournament’s teams had even named their line-ups, Messi was up and running, his sumptuous free-kick from the edge of the area nestling in the top corner, exactly where it was intended.

Messi would have his second and third before the end, but the game was up by then thanks to a superb strike from the excellent Ousmane Dembele. Only when Barca were three ahead was Samuel Umtiti sent off for a second yellow card, and with 10 men, Messi completed his hat-trick for a 4-0 win.

Dembele’s goal was worthy of deciding any match but this was Messi’s night. After a miserable World Cup trying to retrieve the irretrievable Argentina, Barcelona’s now-captain proved his quality again to any doubters that are left.

Four goals already in La Liga, seven overall, neither age nor Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure from Spain appear to have taken the edge off.

But even if Messi remains as good as ever, his team will need others to step up. – SuperSport.