Lionel Messi laid waste to Manchester City‘s slips – both literally and figuratively – as Barcelona trounced the latest students of Camp Nou favourite Pep Guardiola in Wednesday’s Champions League group-stage clash.
While John Stones was schooled when his lack of awareness and experience was pounced upon by Messi for his hat trick, the diminutive world beater was the beneficiary of Fernandinho losing his footing for his opener, and then City being in disarray after Claudio Bravo‘s dismissal to nick his brace.
7 – Real Madrid (9) are the only team to score more hat-tricks than Lionel Messi (7) in the Champions League. Phenomenon.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 19, 2016
Jeremy Mathieu, a first-half replacement for the injured Gerard Pique, also received his marching orders for two yellow cards, but City was spluttering and had nothing in the tank to prevent Neymar dancing through late on for Barca’s fourth.
Here are three things we learned from Manchester City getting its pants pulled down on the Mediterranean coast:
Bravo blooper – again
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