PSG forward Neymar reacts after scoring a goal during their UEFA Champions League match against Red Star Belgrade at the Parc des Princes Stadium in Paris, yesterday.
London: Barcelona and PSG registered contrasting wins to pick up full points in their Champions League group matches yesterday.
At Wembley Stadium, Lionel Messi inspired Barcelona to an enthralling 4-2 victory over Tottenham.
Messi scored twice in an excellent attacking display from the Spanish champions, who were twice pegged back in a breathless second half.
Former Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho put Barcelona ahead in the second minute at the end of an excellent team move involving Messi, although returning Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris helped the visitors by rushing off his line.
Croatia midfielder Ivan Rakitic then doubled the lead by firing home an acrobatic half-volley off the inside of the post from 20 yards.
But Harry Kane halved Spurs’ deficit in the 52nd minute, shortly after Messi had twice hit the post for the visitors.
Messi then put Barca 3-1 in front at the end of another flowing move, only for Erik Lamela to pull another back for Spurs with a deflected shot from the edge of the penalty area.
Messi sealed the result in the 90th minute with a calm finish which gives his side a second successive Champions League win and sees them top Group B.
In Paris, Neymar continued his return to top form with a hat-trick in a sublime display to lead Paris Saint-Germain to a 6-1 rout of Red Star Belgrade.
The world’s most expensive player admitted on the eve of this game that he still did not feel back to 100 percent after the foot injury which required surgery and saw him miss the last three months of last season.
But he tore a hapless Red Star apart with two goals in the space of two first-half minutes at the Parc des Princes, the first a delightful curling free-kick, before completing his hat-trick from another stunning free-kick late on.
In Moscow, American international midfielder Weston McKennie hit an 88th-minute winner as struggling Schalke 04 edged Lokomotiv Moscow 1-0 in their Group D clash.
Lorenzo Insigne’s dramatic late winner gave Napoli victory over Liverpool in their group game in Italy.
