Football news - Magical Lionel Messi leads Barcelona past Spurs

Yet another ridiculous performance from the ridiculous Lionel Messi inspired Barcelona to a victory that was extremely comfortable for around 85 of the 90 minutes. He has played in better teams than this one, but it barely matters when he performs like this.

Though he scored twice, it was Messi’s passing that took centre-stage tonight, and he played a key role in Barca's first goal which came after just two minutes, supplying Jordi Alba whose cut-back for Philippe Coutinho was smacked home while Hugo Lloris went off on a frolic of his own.

Spurs simply could not contain Messi, who roamed wherever he fancied, and he also initiated the second goal with another clip over the top, though there was still plenty to do, the ball eventually sent screeching home by Ivan Rakitic's leaping drive from outside the box.

At no point had Spurs looked likely to tax their visitors, but then on 52 minutes, a moment of class from Harry Kane hauled them back into the game ... for four minutes. Messi had hit the base of the left-hand post twice in quick succession at the start of the second half, and he did so again following Luis Suarez's stepover, but found its inside to restore his side's two-goal lead.

Then, with 66 minutes gone, another livener: Clement Lenglet deflected Erik Lamela's drive past Marc-Andre ter Stegen, and suddenly Spurs had a sniff. A snifflet: only once, when Lucas Moura found space in the box, did they threaten an equaliser, his shot blocked by Lenglet, and Messi's second goal in the final minute gave the scoreline a well-earned burnishing.

Barcelona and Inter Milan have a maximum six points from two games while PSV prop up the table on zero points but a worse goal difference than Spurs.

What were Spurs trying to do? You cannot let Lionel Messi simply go about his business, yet they did, without much apparent plan as to how they might score themselves. They were missing key players, but nonetheless whatever Mauricio Pochettino's tactics were, they were wrong.

Lionel Messi (Barcelona): A ludicrously brilliant performance from the great man. He is untouchable and it is a privilege to be living in his lifetime.

Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris 3, Trippier 6, Alderweireld 6, Sanchez 5, Davies 5, Wanyama 4, Winks 4, Moura 4, Lamela 5, Son 4, Kane 6. Subs: Dier 6, Sissoko 6, Llorente 6.

Barcelona: Ter Stegen 6, Semedo 6, Pique 6, Lenglet 7, Alba 7, Busquets 7, Rakitic 6, Arthur 7, Coutinho 6, Suarez 6, Messi 10.

2’ - GOAL! Spurs 0-1 Barcelona (Coutinho) Oh dear. Busquets finds Messi in the centre-circle and he clips a fine pass to Jordi Alba down the left ocf the box. It's not as especially dangerous situation ... until Lloris comes charging out to meet him for no reason whatsoever. Alba duly cuts back for Coutinho on the edge, and he spanks home a definitive finish.

28’ - WHAT A GOAL! A LOVELY GOAL! Spurs 0-2 Barcelona (Rakitic) Messi lifts a lovely ball over the top for Suarez, who might go for goal but instead chests into the path of Coutinho. It's not quite enough pop on it, so the improvised shot is blocked by Sanchez and the Coutihnho hooks back to the edge of the box, blind ... where Rakitic leaps into drive, rasped with both feet off the ground to get over it, in off the post! Oh yes!

47’ - Here comes Messi again, driving at the centre of the Spurs defence after Davies loses it high up the pitch and one pass is all it takes. BUt as he opens his body to pass home number three, he doesn't get quite enough curl and the ball bounces away off the foot of the near post.

51’ - No way! Again Messi attacks the middle of the Spurs defence, this time coming from the right, and with Wanyama doing everything in his power not to foul from behind, Alderweireld stands up for as long as he can before Messi curls against the foot of the same post!

52’ - GOAL! Spurs 1-2 Barcelona (Kane) This is absolutely expert. Spurs break and Lamela finds Kane in the box, who might shoot immediately with his left but instead a little Cruyff turn brings the ball back onto his right while Semedo slides off into another dimension. In the meantime, Kane buries a side-footer close to the far bottom corner. He is good.

56’ - GOAL! WHAT A RIDICULOUS INDIVIDUAL! Spurs 1-3 Barcelona (Messi) Messi takes the ball off Arthur and sends Alba away down the left then, as the cut-back arrives, Suarez steps over and Messi glides it into that same post, but with precision such that it nestles in the net. This is such a performance.

66’ - GOAL! Spurs 2-3 Barcelona (Lamela) Well! Kane moves wide and slides infield to Son, who finds Lamela, and his shot from 20 yards kicks off Lenglet and over Ter Stegen's dive. Can Spurs do something from here?

85’ - What a block Lenglet! Moura gets the ball and isolates Alba, dipping inside him and past Pique to open the angle for a pass into the far corner! But Lenglet gets in the road and concedes the corner!

90’ - GOAL! Spurs 2-4 Barcelona (Messi) Lloris is quite something. He plays Trippier into trouble, Sissoko is barged off it by Alba - ! - and then a low cross is again stepped over by Suarez, allowing Messi to tiptoe through the middle of the box and send the keeper the wrong way. he made that looks fairly easy.