• Barcelona's Lionel Messi in action during their Champions League victory over Borussia Dortmund. Reuters
    Barcelona's Lionel Messi in action during their Champions League victory over Borussia Dortmund. Reuters
  • Lionel Messi goes for goal from a free kick. AP
    Lionel Messi goes for goal from a free kick. AP
  • Lionel Messi scores their second goal. Reuters
    Lionel Messi scores their second goal. Reuters
  • Lionel Messi with Dortmund's Axel Witsel. AP
    Lionel Messi with Dortmund's Axel Witsel. AP
  • Lionel Messi checks on his injured teammate Ousmane Dembele. AFP
    Lionel Messi checks on his injured teammate Ousmane Dembele. AFP
  • Dortmund's Mats Hummels fails to stop Lionel Messi scoring. Reuters
    Dortmund's Mats Hummels fails to stop Lionel Messi scoring. Reuters
  • Lionel Messi goes for goal. AP
    Lionel Messi goes for goal. AP
  • Lionel Messi celebrates with Antoine Griezmann after the French attacker's goal. AFP
    Lionel Messi celebrates with Antoine Griezmann after the French attacker's goal. AFP
  • Lionel Messi celebrates with Antoine Griezmann after the French attacker's goal. AFP
    Lionel Messi celebrates with Antoine Griezmann after the French attacker's goal. AFP
  • Lionel Messi scoring. Reuters
    Lionel Messi scoring. Reuters
  • Lionel Messi on the attack against Dortmund. AFP
    Lionel Messi on the attack against Dortmund. AFP
  • Lionel Messi after scoring his side's second goal. AP
    Lionel Messi after scoring his side's second goal. AP
  • Dortmund defender Mats Hummels attempts to stop Lionel Messi. Reuters
    Dortmund defender Mats Hummels attempts to stop Lionel Messi. Reuters
  • Lionel Messi runs with the ball. AP
    Lionel Messi runs with the ball. AP
  • Lionel Messi and Lukasz Piszczek of Borussia Dortmund battle for posession. Getty
    Lionel Messi and Lukasz Piszczek of Borussia Dortmund battle for posession. Getty
  • Barcelona's Lionel Messi, left, claims a penalty against Dortmund - but was booked for diving instead. AP
    Barcelona's Lionel Messi, left, claims a penalty against Dortmund - but was booked for diving instead. AP
  • Lionel Messi attacks the Dortmund defence. AP
    Lionel Messi attacks the Dortmund defence. AP
  • Lionel Messi is shown a yellow card for diving by referee Clement Turpin. Reuters
    Lionel Messi is shown a yellow card for diving by referee Clement Turpin. Reuters
  • Lionel Messi under pressure from Axel Witsel. Getty
    Lionel Messi under pressure from Axel Witsel. Getty

Barcelona attacker Lionel Messi gives Borussia Dortmund a footballing masterclass – in pictures


  • English
  • Arabic

Lionel Messi was at his scintillating best for Barcelona as the Spanish side beat Borussia Dortmund 3-1 to reach the last 16 of the Champions League.

The Argentine attacker, who was playing his 700th game for Barca, scored one goal and set up Luis Suarez and Antoine Griezmann for the other two at Camp Nou.

The Catalan are now safely into the knockout stages after topping a tough Group F that also included Inter Milan and Slavia Prague.

But it was Messi who stole the show in Catalonia on Wednesday as he terrorised the German defence from start to finish with a trademark display of dribbling skills, incisive passing and quality finishing.

The only blot on the 32-year-old's copy book was a booking for diving when he went down under a challenge – or lack of one – from Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Burki.

It was Messi's deft pass that set up Uruguayan attacker Suarez for the opening goal just before the half-hour mark.

Messi himself made it two four minutes later, scoring his 613th goal for the club and 114th in the competition, with a left-foot finish into the bottom corner from eight yards. And it was his inch-perfect pass that supplied substitute Griezmann with their third and final goal in the 67th minute.

After the match, Barcelona manager  Ernesto Valverde hailed Messi as "incredible", while Dortmund defender Mats Hummels described him as "the best footballer I have ever seen. Period”.