Barca legend lives up to his ‘world’s best’ status with a double strike

MIRACLES do not happen twice. And never in the face of such genius.

The night belonged to Lionel Messi, destroying Manchester United with the sort of breathtaking performance which has established him as the greatest player of this and arguably any generation.

Messi’s first goal was a thing of beauty, a sensational 20-yard left-foot shot curled into the far corner at a time when United were looking dangerous and a genuine threat. Mind you, that was over pretty quickly.

His second was also a collector’s item, too, because it came after a horrible mistake by David De Gea. The keeper is supposedly the best in the world, but he let a tame, routine shot go under his body.

That was it. All over. United showed some heart but are nowhere near being on the same level as a Barcelona team which is supposedly a fading force. But what can you expect when you are asking the likes of Fred and an ageing Ashley Young to try to stop the world’s best player?

Paul Pogba (above) looked like a player who did not want to be there but no big club will sign him on this evidence.

It was an embarrassing mismatch at times.

There was never going to be another miracle like 1999 when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer famously got United’s stoppage-time winner in the Nou Camp to lift the Champions League and complete the Treble.

The world has changed since then, United look alsorans on this stage and, even though they went for the fairytale option by appointing Solskjaer, they will need a huge overhaul to get back to former glories.

For Barca, while they have Messi then anything is possible.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner turns 32 in June, shows no signs of slowing down and we should treasure every time he steps onto the pitch.

There was an incredible moment just before half-time, Messi picked up the ball just inside the United half, beat poor old Phil Jones twice, went back and did it again for good measure before then nutmegging him to rub salt in the wounds.

Messi’s lay-off then released Jordi Alba, his cross found Sergio Roberto and his shot at the back post was kept out by a desperate block from De Gea as the United keeper sunk to his knees almost praying for mercy.

The cruel thing for United was the hope because they actually started well.

Pogba released Marcus Rashford (below) and the United No.10 crashed a shot against the crossbar inside 40 seconds. Scott McTominay also had a brief sight of goal as United started with real intent.

But the mood changed on 16 minutes, just after Barcelona had rightly been denied a penalty by VAR REF: Felix Brych ATT: 96,708 for a Fred challenge. The reprieve was brief. Young lost possession, Messi seized the initiative, threw a shimmy which wrong-footed Fred and then unleashed a sensational curling left-foot shot into the bottom corner.

It was a great goal but probably not even in Messi’s top 10. Five minutes later, it was all over. Messi seized on more United indecision, Fred at fault again, the Barcelona No.10 then stormed forward but did not really catch his shot well. However, it still dribbled under De Gea’s body for a cruel second.

Worse was to follow. Barca’s former Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho set up a potential semi-final with his old club with a third, a brilliant curling right-foot shot from 20 yards which flew past De Gea and into the top corner after 62 minutes.

There was no stopping them.

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