With three goals, superstar Lionel Messi led FC Barcelona to a 4-0 victory over Eindhoven.

Barcelona/Milan – Lionel Messi opened the 2018/19 Champions League season with a gala on Tuesday. The Argentinian superstar led FC Barcelona to a 4-0 victory over PSV Eindhoven with three goals. FC Liverpool lost a 2-0 lead to Paris St. Germain in their first matchday hit, but won 3-2 in injury time thanks to a goal.

Atletico Madrid won AS Monaco 2-1, Inter Milan defeated Tottenham 2-1 at home with two late goals, Borussia Dortmund scored three points against Bruges after a disappointing performance and a lucky goal, while Schalke 04 had to make do with a 1-1 win against FC Porto at home.

At Camp Nou, Messi opened Barcelona’s next attempt at victory in the Champions League with a perfect free-kick into Kreuzeck (32nd). Ousmane Dembele increased to 2-0 (74th) before Messi scored two more goals (77th, 87th) and now holds 103 goals in the Champions League. He “turns something extraordinary into routine,” said coach Ernesto Valverde, whose team has been unbeaten for 27 CL home games.

Ousmane Dembele Honours 

Borussia Dortmund

• DFB-Pokal: 2016–17 

Barcelona 

• La Liga: 2017–18
• Copa del Rey: 2017–18
• Supercopa de España: 2018

France

• FIFA World Cup: 2018 

Individual

• UNFP Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year: 2015–16 
• UEFA Champions League Breakthrough XI: 2016
• Bundesliga Rookie of the Season: 2016–17
• Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2016–17 

In the Milan parallel, Tottenham looked like a sure winner for a long time. The English were leading thanks to a goal from Christian Eriksen (53rd) and seemed to have the game under control. In the finish, however, Inter turned up the heat at their comeback in the premier class after seven years. The previously harmless Mauro Icardi equalised with a superb volley (86th), Matias Vecino even beheaded the Italians to victory in the 92nd minute.

At the Anfield Road of Liverpool “Hausherr” Jürgen Klopp won the duel of the two German top coaches against Thomas Tuchel. Last season’s finalist put the French under pressure from the start and deservedly took the lead with goals scored by Daniel Sturridge per head (30th) and James Milner per penalty (36th).

Thomas Meunier (40th) gave the Parisians hope again, but the goal should have been cancelled due to an offside position of Edinson Cavani. In the final, PSG struck again thanks to his two superstars, with Kylian Mbappe equalising after Neymar (83). Liverpool, however, were rewarded, with substitute Roberto Firmino providing the deserved winning goal (92nd).

In Group C’s second match, Red Star Belgrade, who defeated Red Bull Salzburg in play-off, scored a surprising point. The Champions League debutant scored 0:0 against Italian runners-up SSC Napoli at Haues.

For Schalke, who had started the Bundesliga season with three defeats, at least a partial success on the international stage. The “royal blues” took the lead thanks to Breel Embolo (64th), who successfully completed a counterattack. Otavio equalised with a penalty kick (75th) after Moussa Marega had fallen in the penalty area after a light contact. Goalkeeper Ralf Fährmann, who had parried a penalty from Alex Telles in the 13th minute, had no chance this time. His opponent, Spain’s 37-year-old goalkeeper legend Iker Casillas, was the first player to enter his 20th Champions League season. Alessandro Schöpf played with Schalke, Guido Burgstaller was substituted in the 72nd minute. Check out Casino Bordeaux’s review here for more details!

Dortmund, who showed a disappointing performance in Bruges, celebrated a very happy victory. The decisive goal “scored” on his 20th birthday Christian Pulisic, who was shot in the 85th minute. Until then, the BVB had hardly shown any offensive actions.

Atletico Madrid, whose home Wanda Metropolitano will host the final on 1 June, won AS Monaco 2-1 after a 1-0 deficit. Galatasaray Istanbul defeated Lok Moscow 3-0.