Lionel Messi leads Barcelona to victory over Juventus

Lionel Messi scored twice and had a hand in the other as Barcelona got their 2017/2018 Champions League campaign off to a flyer with a 3 - 0 win over Juventus. 


Barcelona started the game and they immediately attacked as Ousmane Dembele tried to find Lionel Messi in the box but Benatia was quick to react. 

Juventus would hit back with a rocket shot from Mattia De Sciglio from 30 yards but Marc Ter Stegen was quick to tip over the bar. 

Barcelona continued to have the lion share of possession but Juventus had good chances with Gonzalo Higuain unable to beat Ter Stegen with a volley just after the half hour mark. Right-back Mattia De Sciglio had to be taken off five minutes before the break due to a slight knock with Stefano Sturaro replacing his country man. 

Barcelona took the lead on the stroke of half-time through Lionel Messi from a pass by strike partner Luis Suarez. 

Juventus could have equalized just after the break when Dybala found himself free to shoot after a loose ball fell to his feet but he could only shoot wide. 

In the 52nd minute Messi hit the post with an absolute screamer and Buffon was lucky to gather and just two minutes later the Argentine is shown a yellow card for dissent. 

Rakitic got the second goal of the game for the hosts as Messi dribbled his way into the box on the right and sent a cross in which was cleared to the path of the Croatian who slotted in past Buffon.

Messi scored his second of the night and Barcelona's third as he skipped past two Juve defenders to fire into the bottom right-hand corner in the 69th minute.