Messi answers critics from Ronaldo’s camp brilliantly

Just a day after Cristiano Ronaldo’s Champions League hat-trick heroics against Atletico Madrid, Lionel Messi scored twice and also assisted twice as Barcelona joyfully made it to the Champions League quarter-finals for a 12th season in a row with a comprehensive 5-1 win over Lyon at Camp Nou.

After a goalless first leg in Lyon last month, Barca needed to win in this second match and the Catalans took the lead with a controversial penalty after 17 minutes.Luis Suarez went down in the box under a challenge from Jason Denayer, but the Uruguayan looked to stamp on the Belgian defender.

The video assistant referee was consulted and did not overturn the decision and Messi chipped the ball in from the spot with a cheeky Panenka effort.Suarez then put the second on a plate for Philippe Coutinho with just over half an hour gone, the Brazilian tapping into the empty net after the Uruguayan had drawn the goalkeeper Anthony Lopes and squared for his team-mate.
Lopes went off later in the half after he was hurt during a challenge from Coutinho and Lyon pulled a goal back after an hour when Lucas Tousart chested down a loose ball and volleyed home in the Barca box.VAR looked at the effort amid suspicions of offside, but it stood and one more goal would have sent the French side through on away goals. But Barcelona had other ideas and the introduction of Ousmane Dembele gave the hosts pace on the break.
And they wrapped up a big win in the final 12 minutes, with Messi making it 3-1 after turning one way and then the other and beating substitute goalkeeper Mathieu Gorgelin, who got a hand to the Argentine’s shot.

Messi then set up Gerard Pique for number four on a quick break, the defender stretching at the far post to slide in.And with four minutes left, Dembele scored in the same corner to give the Catalans a 5-1 victory at Camp Nou as they sealed their place in Friday’s quarter-final draw.