Tottenham 2-4 Barcelona: Messi double stuns Kane and co. as Barca lead Group B

Ivan Rakitic scored a wonderful volley and Lionel Messi struck twice to inspire Barcelona to a thrilling 4-2 win at Tottenham in the Champions League.

2018/2019 UEFA Champions League

2-4

Match Events

2' GOAL! Tottenham 0-1 Barcelona (Coutinho)

WHAT A START FOR BARCA! 1-0! Lloris is back having missed the last six matches, and the rust shows here! Messi swings a terrific ball over the top for Alba on the left flank, and Lloris inexplicably rushes off his line to challenge him!! Why?! All Alba has to do is pull it back for Coutinho atop the penalty area, and the Brazilian simply couldn't miss. Unbelievable!

28' GOAL! Tottenham 0-2 Barcelona (Rakitic)

OH MY WORD THAT IS STUNNING! 2-0 BARCA! That's an absolutely phenomenal volley from Rakitic, who shows sensational technique to smash a volley out of the reach of Llorris, off the far post and in! A piece of art there on the end of a Coutinho pull-back, made possible by some dreadful Spurs defending.

52' GOAL! Tottenham 1-2 Barcelona (Kane)

GAME ON AT WEMBLEY! 2-1! A wonderful individual effort from Kane who gets on the end of Lamela's ball before faking a shot to evade Semedo, carving out space for the strike, which he guides beautifully in at the far post! That's sensational and Spurs needed that in a bad way!

56' GOAL! Tottenham 1-3 Barcelona (Messi)

HE'S FINALLY GOT HIS GOAL! 3-1 BARCA! That's been coming! Messi has hit two posts already in this second half, but there's no keeping him out this time as he latches onto Alba's pull-back, made possible by two brilliant dummies from Suarez and Coutinho, and guides a finish in at the far post. Stunning.

66' GOAL! Tottenham 2-3 Barcelona (Lamela)

GAME ON AGAIN! 3-2! From out of nothing really, Lamela has Spurs within a goal again! He's picked out by Son atop the penalty area and his strike takes a wicked deflection off Lenglet which left Ter Stegen with no chance!

90' GOAL! Tottenham 2-4 Barcelona (Messi)

THAT'S A WRAP! 4-2 BARCA! Trippier's ball out from the back is poor and intercepted by Alba, who threads a pass into the centre, aided by another stunning Suarez dummy, where it's met by an unmarked Messi who is never going to miss a chance like that. He fakes out Lloris and finishes it off at the near post to put this game to bed!

Match Report

Hugo Lloris was playing for the first time since August after recovering from a thigh injury but the Tottenham captain's mistake contributed to Barca's second-minute opener.

Messi produced a gorgeous ball to send Jordi Alba scampering clear down the left channel and, with Lloris having raced out and left his goal unmarked, the left-back squared for Coutinho to tuck away his first Barca goal in the Champions League.

Coutinho performed a minor miracle to keep the ball in play on the byline with Rakitic launching himself into a sensational 20-yard volley that clipped the post on its way into Lloris' net.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen made a great save to keep out a Son Heung-min cross that sharply deflected off Gerard Pique, who was making his 100th Champions League appearance, and Messi hit the post twice in five minutes after the restart before Kane gave Spurs a lifeline.

A long throw from Lloris set up a counter, with Lamela feeding Kane to turn Nelson Semedo and bend a fine finish into Ter Stegen's bottom-left corner.

Messi would not miss again, though, sending Alba clear down the left with a trademark curling pass and timing his run into the box perfectly to slot a first-time finish past Lloris to restore Barca's two-goal lead four minutes later.

Lamela's deflected strike wrongfooted Ter Stegen and ensured a fantastic finale but, with Spurs committing men forward, Alba seized on a loose pass to set up Messi to sweep home his second.

Line-ups

Tottenham XI: H. Lloris, Wanyama, T. Alderweireld, Lamela, K. Trippier, Son Heung-Min, Lucas, H. Kane, B.Davies, Winks, D. Sánchez

Subs: F.Llorente, M.Sissoko, D. Rose, Gazzaniga, E. Dier, K.W Peters, O. Skipp

Barcelona XI: L. Messi, L. Suárez, Piqué, I. Rakitić, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Philippe Coutinho, M. ter Stegen, Lenglet, Semedo, Arthur

Subs: T. Vermaelen, Vidal, Jasper Cillessen, D.Suárez, Rafinha, Munir, O. Dembélé