Hat-trick for Messi fires Barca

BARCELONA and Bayern Munich edged towards the knockout stage of the Champions League yesterday with home thrashings of Manchester City and PSV Eindhoven, respectively.

Barca trounced City — which had goalkeeper Claudio Bravo sent off — 4-0, with a hat-trick from the fit-again Lionel Messi, while Bayern downed PSV 4-1 thanks to strikes from Thomas Mueller, Joshua Kimmich, Robert Lewandowski and Arjen Robben.

Bayern is three points behind Group D leader Atletico Madrid, which won 1-0 in Rostov on a goal from Yannick Carrasco.

“We have won our first three matches and this is an important achievement,” a delighted Carrasco said.

“We had to work really hard for this win, against difficult opponents — we are in good form, playing well and keeping things tight in defence.”

Arsenal turned in the performance of the night to thump Ludogorets 6-0, with a first career hat-trick for Mesut Oezil.

“Our confidence is stronger with every win, but we have to keep the vigilance as well, and the urgency to bring that into the next game,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said.

In the same Group A, Paris Saint-Germain crushed Basel 3-0. Borussia Moenchengladbach won 2-0 at Celtic, Benfica prevailed 2-0 at Dynamo Kiev and Napoli crashed 3-2 at home to lively Besiktas.