Messi Mesmerizes Spurs as Barça Cruises

What a clinic!

Tottenham has a temporary home in England's national stadium, but it was emphatically confirmed in this match that they're only renting it.

This is the sorta site reserved for the world's best to show their superior skills.

Lionel Messi did just that, scoring twice and setting up Barcelona's other two goals while being a constant thorn in Tottenham's side when they were in possession. The 2-4 final almost didn't do his display justice.

Dude even looked good hitting posts. That's when you know you're in the company of greatness.

 

This Champions League Group B match had barely started when the Blaugrana took the lead.

In only the 2nd minute, the Argentinian wizard sent a finesse pass to Jordi Alba. Tottenham 'keeper Hugo Lloris thought he could get there for the interception.

Nope.

Alba collected the perfectly-timed service and relayed it to Philippe Coutinho, who did the honors:

 

Messi was back to lead Barça's charge in the 25th minute when they doubled the lead.

Dude found Coutinho, who kept the ball in play and delivered it to Ivan Rakitić, who rocked Lloris’s world with a one-time half-volley from outside the box.

This was definitely another highlight-reel moment for the Croatian's already-lengthy résumé:

 

Barça was firmly in control of this one, but that didn't mean Spurs didn't have their moments.

Who else but Harry Kane would step up in a match like this?

England's striker extraordinaire gathered in a 52nd-minute pass, made space for himself, and slotted home in the far corner.

 

Spurs may have thought that quality effort put them back in the match, but such dreams were shattered only four minutes later.

Alba’s cross from the left found the omnipresent Messi, who just swept it into the bottom-left corner:

 

Feisty to the end, Tottenham responded in the 66th with Erik Lamela.

Kane set up the Argentine, who fired a scud targeted toward the left corner. However, it deflected off Clément Lenglet and then found twine:

 

Lucas Moura almost leveled things up as the Spurs kept up the attack, backed by the whole Wembley.

But this was Barça's night.

They put an exclamation point on that fact in the 90th minute, Luis Suárez picked up Messi, where the man of the match dutifully put a close-range finish past Lloris:

 

This result leaves the Blaugrana sitting pretty, but Tottenham now finds itself with a bitta work to do.

Group B's looking rather drastic for them right now:

 

There are four matches left.

It remains to be seen if they're actually battling for a spot in the Europa League.