Messi's 8th Champions League Hatter Highlight's Barcelona's 4-0 Ripping of PSV

It says something about Barcelona's legacy that they can actually show up flat for international club competition.

It says even more that they can come roaring back from it and post a dominant victory.

Of course, it helps to have one of the world's reigning superstars leading the charge.

Lionel Messi was in peak form as the Catalans easily passed through PSV Eindhoven in a 4-0 rout.

 

Good point. Only make it Spanish gelato.

It's one of life's little pleasures there.

So is watching Messi in action. Every game. Every season.

Any situation.

 

It did look like the Dutch side was gonna put up a fight. In fact, PSV created the first good chance.

It was there for Steven Bergwijn to do, but his effort went wide.

 

Should've used a fairway wood.

Barça got it going in the 31st minute. In a free-kick, Messi stepped up and brilliantly curled a scud straight into the top corner:

 

That was a hint of things to come.

After the intermission, the Blaugrana controlled play and nearly doubled the lead via Luis Suárez, but his effort hit the crossbar.

Minor setback. Dudes finally delivered in the 75th, on a spiffy goal from Ousmane Dembélé. The Frenchman received the ball, drove forward, and shaped his shot into the bottom left corner:

 

In baseball, a curve like that is known as an Uncle Charlie.

Just two minutes later, Messi made it three. El Magnifico settled a decent delivery from Ivan Rakitić and one-timed it home:

 

Samuel Umtiti decided to add to Barça's degree of difficulty by putting a hard foul on Hirving Lozano. It was his second yellow.

On the bright side, he was sure to get warm water in the shower.

Dude's absence didn't present much of an issue for his teammates. They added a fourth goal in the 88th when Suárez found Messi in stride.

The Argentine proceeded to seal his eighth Champions League hat-trick in a literal touch of genius.

 

That was a notable accomplishment, of course.

 

He's now one hatter ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo.

And Barça's off to a rousing start in Group B.