Messi majestic in Champions League opener against Juventus (Video)

Lionel Messi scored twice as Barcelona beat Juventus in their Champions League opener at the Nou Camp on Tuesday.

The Champions League group stage got underway with a game between Spanish heavyweights Barcelona and Italian champions Juventus. As expected, Lionel Messi played a major role in the game for Barcelona, scoring twice in front of the Camp Nou crowd.

Messi’s first goal came just before halftime as he picked the ball up around midfield and was given the space to dribble within 10 yards of the box. As the Juventus defenders finally closed on Messi he passed to Luis Suarez, who had his back to the goal. After making the pass, Messi split the two Juventus defenders and received the ball back from Suarez. From the edge of the 18-yard box, Messi fired a shot through the legs of Juventus center-back Medhi Benatia and into the bottom corner of the far post. Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon could only stand and watch as the ball rolled into his net.

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After an Ivan Rakitic goal in the 56th minute gave Barcelona a 2-0 lead, Messi added his second of the game in the 69th minute. Messi, making a run down the right wing, received a perfect Andres Iniesta pass in between two Juventus defenders. Still running to his right, Messi cut back to his left, creating space for himself. As Messi reached the middle of the pitch, he fired another shot past Buffon into the right corner of the goal.

The two goals give Messi eight in all competitions this season. For his career, Messi has 518 goals for Barcelona in all competitions, including 96 goals in Champions League. Barcelona won 3-0, and are first in Group B. In the other Group B game, Sporting and Olympiacos played to a 2-2 draw in Athens. In their next Champions League fixture, Barcelona travel to Lisbon to play Sporting.