Barcelona, Dortmund stay perfect in Champions League

GENEVA >> Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund impressed again on Wednesday to join Juventus as the only teams with three straight wins midway through the Champions League group stage.

In two clashes of teams with perfect records, Barcelona beat Inter Milan 2-0 and Dortmund dismantled Atletico Madrid in a 4-0 rout.

Liverpool went back on top of an eventful Group C, beating Red Star Belgrade 4-0 while Napoli twice led at Paris Saint-Germain until Angel Di Maria’s stoppagetime shot earned a 2-2 draw.

Dortmund delivered the result of the night after defending a one-goal lead from sustained pressure in the second half. The Bundesliga leader added three late goals as Atletico’s tempers and famously resolute defense frayed.

Lionel Messi was missing for Barcelona after fracturing his right arm in a Spanish league game, but his replacement Rafinha opened the scoring in what proved to be a comfortable evening at Camp Nou.

Barcelona’s win at least kept Inter in range for the other Group B teams, PSV Eindhoven and Tottenham, who drew 2-2 in the Netherlands to each earn a first point.

Tottenham’s Champions League flaw of conceding late goals showed again as PSV captain Luuk de Jong scored an 87th-minute leveler.

Minutes earlier, Tottenham goalkeeper and captain Hugo Lloris was sent off for a foul on PSV’s Mexico winger Hirving Lozano.

Thierry Henry’s Champions League debut as a coach saw Monaco draw 1-1 at Club Brugge, leaving both teams with one point in Group A which Dortmund leads. Diego Costa in a running battle through the second half as Atletico failed to turn its chances into goals. Costa was one of five Atletico players booked, triggering a UEFA disciplinary case.

Dortmund’s three late goals came from the bench, with two from Portugal midfielder Raphael Guerreiro and one from new England international Jadon Sancho, who had replaced American Christian Pulsiic.