Lionel Messi destroys Tottenham with one of the great Champions League displays

With this level of tenacity Tottenham Hotspur are not out of the Champions League. Not yet. They sit with nothing from two games, already a daunting six points behind Barcelona and Inter Milan in Group B but they showed reserves of resilience to almost come back.

But it was too much to ask against Lionel Messi. At times they were schooled by him even if Spurs kept going, kept trying and now have a double-header against PSV Eindhoven to claw themselves back into contention.

Messi had said that this competition was his priority this season and he played like that. He was simply unstoppable, involved in all the goals, scoring twice and striking the post twice. It was a mesmeric Messi masterclass.

Without Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli, Jan Vertonghen, Mousa Dembele and Serge Aurier, all injured, Spurs were stretched and those sinews strained even further within two minutes as Barcelona claimed the lead.

Spurs were cut apart with Sergio Busquets finding Messi who had the time and space to switch play out to the left, with his superbly incisive pass to Jordi Alba. The full-back’s first touch took him dangerously infield but Hugo Lloris, going straight back into the Spurs side having recovered from his thigh injury, over-committed as he hurtled from goal.