CLAUDIO BRAVO, the goalkeeper Pep Guardiola brought in to replace Joe Hart because of his footballing skills, really put his foot in it for Manchester City when he was sent off at the Nou Camp on Wednesday.
And mercurial Lionel Messi rammed home Barcelona’s numerical advantage by completing a memorable hat-trick to end any hopes Guardiola might have had of pulling off a surprise result against his old club.
City, trailing 1-0, were reduced to 10 men in the 54th minute when £17million-man Bravo raced out after a terrible error of judgment and misdirected a pass to Luis Suarez. The former Liverpool striker then tried to lob the ball into an empty net, only for the Chilean to handle outside his area and earn himself a straight red.
Messi loves bashing English sides in the Champions League and was at it again to fire Barcelona ahead inside 17 minutes before making it 2-0 on the hour.
It took his goal tally to 14 in his last 13 outings against Premier League teams.
He completed his personal rout in the 69th minute by finishing off a fine move with his left foot.
It was the worst possible scenario for Manchester City and Guardiola in this crunch Group C showdown.
Guardiola’s return to Catalonia was the equivalent of Barca’s favourite son storming back and attempting to burgle his spiritual home.
He led these Spanish giants to unprecedented heights during his time as boss, winning 14 trophies in just four seasons.
He left in 2012 and this was just his second time back.
He made the stunning decision to leave top scorer Sergio Aguero on the bench, despite the fact he had plundered 11 goals in just nine games this season.
Was it courageous or cautious? Would it prove to be a stroke of genius or utter madness?
Time would tell, but sacrificing your best and most potent weapon in order to flood midfield suggested Guardiola had a plan to frustrate Barca and starve them of the ball.
Kevin De Bruyne operated in a central striking role with Nolito dropping back into a five-man midfield.
City made a bright start, dominating possession and creating a couple of half chances for both Nolito and De Bruyne. But it was tantamount to poking the monster and Barca took the lead with their first genuine attack.
Messi, back in the fold following a groin problem, picked up a loose ball on the right flank and charged towards the City defence.
He looked to play in Suarez and when the ball deflected back to him from John Stones’s tackle and the covering Fernandinho had slipped, the outcome was inevitable.
Messi rounded a helpless Bravo to fire Barca ahead. Suarez then lashed a shot into the side netting and Barca were getting up a head of steam.
But the visitors hung on and had their best spell just before half time.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen denied Nolito before Ilkay Gundogan’s sparkling run ended with the Barca keeper saving. Moments later Stones wasted the best chance when he met David Silva’s free-kick but headed wide.
The real hammer blow for Guardiola came when Bravo saw red for handling Suarez’s shot about 30 yards out, having gifted him the ball with a hopeless pass.
It was the ultimate humiliation for Guardiola, who got rid of Hart because his footwork was not deemed good enough and he instead splashed out on the Barcelona stopper.
Barca had doubled their advantage when that man Messi drilled a low shot past Willy Caballero to leave Guardiola shaking his head and the Argentine swiftly added a third following a pass from Suarez before Neymar rounded off proceedings after having a penalty saved by substitute keeper Willy Caballero following a foul on Messi.
BARCELONA (4-3-3): Ter Stegen; Umtiti, Pique (Mathieu 39), Mascherano, Alba (Digne 10); Busquets, Rakitic, Iniesta (Gomes 79); Neymar, Suarez, Messi. Goals: Messi 17, 61, 69, Neymar 89. Booked: Mathieu. Sent off: Mathieu 73.
MANCHESTER CITY (4-1-4-1): Bravo; Zabaleta (Clichy 57), Otamendi, Stones, Kolarov; Fernandinho; Sterling, Gundogan (Aguero 79); Silva, Nolito (Caballero 57); De Bruyne. Booked: Silva, Fernandinho. Sent off: Bravo 53.
Referee: M Mazic (Serbia).
City, trailing 1-0, were reduced to 10 men in the 54th minute when £17million-man Bravo raced out after a terrible error of judgment and misdirected a pass to Luis Suarez. The former Liverpool striker then tried to lob the ball into an empty net, only for the Chilean to handle outside his area and earn himself a straight red.
Messi loves bashing English sides in the Champions League and was at it again to fire Barcelona ahead inside 17 minutes before making it 2-0 on the hour.
It took his goal tally to 14 in his last 13 outings against Premier League teams.
He completed his personal rout in the 69th minute by finishing off a fine move with his left foot.
It was the worst possible scenario for Manchester City and Guardiola in this crunch Group C showdown.
Guardiola’s return to Catalonia was the equivalent of Barca’s favourite son storming back and attempting to burgle his spiritual home.
He led these Spanish giants to unprecedented heights during his time as boss, winning 14 trophies in just four seasons.
He left in 2012 and this was just his second time back.
He made the stunning decision to leave top scorer Sergio Aguero on the bench, despite the fact he had plundered 11 goals in just nine games this season.
Was it courageous or cautious? Would it prove to be a stroke of genius or utter madness?
Time would tell, but sacrificing your best and most potent weapon in order to flood midfield suggested Guardiola had a plan to frustrate Barca and starve them of the ball.
Kevin De Bruyne operated in a central striking role with Nolito dropping back into a five-man midfield.
City made a bright start, dominating possession and creating a couple of half chances for both Nolito and De Bruyne. But it was tantamount to poking the monster and Barca took the lead with their first genuine attack.
Messi, back in the fold following a groin problem, picked up a loose ball on the right flank and charged towards the City defence.
He looked to play in Suarez and when the ball deflected back to him from John Stones’s tackle and the covering Fernandinho had slipped, the outcome was inevitable.
Messi rounded a helpless Bravo to fire Barca ahead. Suarez then lashed a shot into the side netting and Barca were getting up a head of steam.
But the visitors hung on and had their best spell just before half time.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen denied Nolito before Ilkay Gundogan’s sparkling run ended with the Barca keeper saving. Moments later Stones wasted the best chance when he met David Silva’s free-kick but headed wide.
The real hammer blow for Guardiola came when Bravo saw red for handling Suarez’s shot about 30 yards out, having gifted him the ball with a hopeless pass.
It was the ultimate humiliation for Guardiola, who got rid of Hart because his footwork was not deemed good enough and he instead splashed out on the Barcelona stopper.
Barca had doubled their advantage when that man Messi drilled a low shot past Willy Caballero to leave Guardiola shaking his head and the Argentine swiftly added a third following a pass from Suarez before Neymar rounded off proceedings after having a penalty saved by substitute keeper Willy Caballero following a foul on Messi.
BARCELONA (4-3-3): Ter Stegen; Umtiti, Pique (Mathieu 39), Mascherano, Alba (Digne 10); Busquets, Rakitic, Iniesta (Gomes 79); Neymar, Suarez, Messi. Goals: Messi 17, 61, 69, Neymar 89. Booked: Mathieu. Sent off: Mathieu 73.
MANCHESTER CITY (4-1-4-1): Bravo; Zabaleta (Clichy 57), Otamendi, Stones, Kolarov; Fernandinho; Sterling, Gundogan (Aguero 79); Silva, Nolito (Caballero 57); De Bruyne. Booked: Silva, Fernandinho. Sent off: Bravo 53.
Referee: M Mazic (Serbia).
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