MESSI OFF TO A FLYER

LIONEL MESSI promised the Barcelona fans in pre-season that he would do everything to bring the Champions League trophy back to the Nou Camp. The Argentine (right) began that mission by hitting a hat-trick — including a superb free-kick — as Barca thrashed PSV. Ousmane Dembele scored the other goal. Barca’s Ivan Rakitic joked: ‘A lot of the time when (Messi) takes the free-kicks you go directly to the place where you’re going to celebrate them.’ Samuel Umtiti was sent off and misses next month’s away match with Spurs.

BARCELONA 4 PSV EINDHOVEN 0