Barcelona dented Tottenham's Champions League hopes as they triumphed 4-2 in a pulsating Wembley encounter that was lit up by Lionel Messi on Wednesday.
The Argentine scored twice, played a major role in Barca's other goals and hit the post twice as Tottenham slipped to back-to-back defeats in Group B.
Philippe Coutinho set the tempo for a breathtaking spectacle by scoring after 95 seconds, following some horrendous decision making by the returning Hugo Lloris, before Ivan Rakitic doubled the lead with a spectacular half-volley (28).
Messi should have wrapped the game up but hit the same post twice in three minutes and this opened the door for Harry Kane (52) to hit back for Spurs.
Messi quickly restored the two-goal lead (56) but Erik Lamela (66) set up a grandstand finish that almost led to an equaliser, but Messi had the last laugh in the 90th minute, wrapping up the points with his fifth Champions League goal of this campaign already.
Player Ratings
Tottenham: Lloris (5), Trippier (7), Alderweireld (6), Sanchez (5), Davies (6), Wanyama (4), Winks (6), Lucas (7), Lamela (7), Son (6), Kane (7)
Subs: Dier (6), Sissoko (6), Llorente (6)
Barcelona: Ter Stegen (6), Semedo (7), Pique (6), Lenglet (6), Alba (8), Rakitic (8), Busquets (7), Arthur (7), Messi (9), Suarez (7), Coutinho (7)
Subs: Rafinha (6), Vidal (N/A), Vermaelen (6)
Man of the match: Lionel Messi
Barcelona scared the life out of the Spurs midfield from the first whistle. Victor Wanyama and Harry Winks were hounded out of possession and Messi provided the magic. He bent a clever ball in behind Kieran Trippier for Jordi Alba that triggered Lloris to recklessly scamper from his line despite having no chance of getting there first.
The goalkeeper's error opened the space up for Alba to slide the ball to Coutinho, who fired home from 18 yards into an unguarded net.
Philippe Coutinho celebrates scoring for Barcelona
Philippe Coutinho celebrates scoring for Barcelona
Yet more nervy midfield play paved the way for Barca to rip through Spurs again on 25 minutes. Messi was the instigator, curling a ball over the top that Coutinho just about kept in play. His flick found Rakitic and the midfielder controlled a sensational half-volley into the net from 20 yards that left the hosts with a mountain to climb.
Luis Suarez fired wide from a tight angle minutes later before Spurs, who did look dangerous when in Barcelona's third, had a Heung-Min Son goal ruled out after a Trippier handball was spotted in the build-up.
NAPOLI 1-0 LIVERPOOL
Lorenzo Insigne scored a dramatic 90th-minute winner as Napoli stunned Liverpool with 1-0 victory in the Champions League group stages.
Insigne struck in the final minute of normal time, converting Jose Callejon's inch-perfect cross on the stretch to spark wild celebrations at the Stadio San Paolo.
After Dries Mertens struck the crossbar, it was no more than Carlo Ancelotti's team deserved, having dominated the second half against a below-par Liverpool side, who lost Naby Keita to injury in the first half.
The victory lifts Napoli above Liverpool into top spot in Group C, which is now wide open following Paris Saint-Germain's 6-1 thrashing of Red Star Belgrade earlier on Wednesday.
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