Messi double leaves Spurs facing early exit
SPURS ........ 2 BARCELONA ........ 4
“That’s why I want to congratulate the team, because we were always in the game, always fighting, never giving up. I feel so proud.
“I’m disappointed with the result but the effort was massive. The most important thing was our character.”
Barcelona were on another level, led by the world’s best player who looked on a one-man mission to destroy the myth that he is now a fading force.
Messi was majestic, Spurs could not handle him and Harry Kane’s bold prediction he could outscore him seemed to have inspired the Barca superstar.
He left Spurs spellbound in every way, twice going on incredible solo runs, teasing the home defence as he dribbled forward and then hitting shots which hit the woodwork before adding a late clinching second goal. This was a night when everyone at Wembley will look back and be able to say they were there for one of Messi’s greatest shows.
It was a throwback to the Barca of 10 years ago as they looked as fluid and beautiful as in the days of Andres Iniesta, Xavi and Co.
And that was the problem for Spurs. Barcelona were coming at them from all angles and their depleted squad had no way of stopping them.
After just 95 seconds Hugo Lloris, who was rushed back from injury and the shame of a drinkdriving conviction, was caught in no man’s land. The keeper was stranded as Philippe Coutinho put Barcelona ahead. Sadly for Spurs, that set the tone. Defensively they were a shambles and no matter how many players they were missing – Dele Alli, Jan Vertonghen, Christian Eriksen et al – they were shown up to be a long way from being serious contenders. Messi contrived to set up the Barcelona opener, his ball over the top pulled back by Jordi Alba and Coutinho drilled home into an unguarded net.
Messi was the architect again after 28 minutes, his ball forward was pulled back by Luis Suarez and the Spurs defence had gone to sleep as Ivan Rakitic smashed in a sublime volley that goes down as one of Wembley’s great goals.
But after 52 minutes Heung-Min Son led a Spurs attack and fed Kane who turned Nelson Semedo and curled home into the far corner.
That only inspired Messi who found Alba wide and his low cross was dummied by Suarez and Coutinho for him to drill in.
Incredibly, Spurs rose again, as Erik Lamela’s shot deflected off Clement Lenglet into the net. Spurs had many failings here but spirit wasn’t one of them.
Messi wrapped up the win in the last minute as Suarez’s dummy left him one-on-one with Lloris, whom he beat easily.
JOHN CROSS AT WEMBLEY