Champions League: Messi and Barcelona ease past Juventus, Chelsea and Man United cruise

There was no Cristiano Ronaldo on the sphere and no followers within the stands to see Barcelona and Lionel Messi beat Juventus 2-Zero away within the Champions League on Wednesday. Ronaldo’s lingering COVID-19 case prevented a primary assembly between him and Messi within the group stage of a contest they’ve mixed to win 9 occasions.

Barcelona took an early lead in Turin by means of Ousmane Dembele and had loads of possibilities to seal the win lengthy earlier than Messi scored a penalty as 90 minutes ticked over into stoppage time.

Marcus Rashford scored a hat trick as Manchester United beat Leipzig 5-Zero at dwelling, whereas Chelsea brushed apart Krasnodar 4-Zero in Russia, giving England’s 4 golf equipment a sweep of wins this week with out conceding a aim. A wave of second-half targets additionally earned wins for Paris Saint-Germain — after dropping Neymar early to harm — Borussia Dortmund and Sevilla.

Some of the gloss went out of the Juve-Barca sport — the repeat of a standout closing in 2015 — when Ronaldo was dominated out within the morning. His virus an infection was revealed greater than two weeks in the past whereas on worldwide responsibility with Portugal.

Barcelona rapidly pushed again the Italian champion and Antoine Griezmann’s shot struck a publish within the second minute. The lead arrived within the 14th from Dembélé’s deflected, looping shot. Barcelona’s forwards have been usually hesitant and wasteful, with even Messi lacking the goal with a transparent taking pictures probability on his left foot.

Juventus formally had no photographs heading in the right direction but its No. 9 Alvaro Morata had a hat-trick of targets disallowed for offside calls. The third would have leveled within the 55th however was dominated out greater than two minutes later after a video evaluate.

Also in Group G, Ferencváros and Dynamo Kyiv missed the possibility to affix Juventus on three factors by drawing 2-2 in Budapest earlier than a crowd of 6,171. Ferencváros coach Serhiy Rebrov, who performed and coached at Dynamo, noticed his workforce fall two down within the first half, then earn a degree with substitute Franck Boli’s 90th-minute strike.

ROMAN IN RUSSIA

Chelsea’s Russian proprietor Roman Abramovich used his workforce’s journey to his dwelling nation to make a uncommon go to to see a sport. Abramovich, whose British visa was withdrawn in 2018 throughout diplomatic tensions with Russia, was rewarded with a 4-Zero win in Krasnodar.

Chelsea’s gamers will not be used to seeing their proprietor, nor any followers at video games. There have been 10,544 spectators within the first paying crowd Chelsea has performed for for the reason that coronavirus pandemic was declared in March.

Hakim Ziyech, in his first begin for the 2012 European champion, scored in a late burst of targets. Another costly summer season signing, Timo Werner, scored a penalty after common taker Jorginho missed from the spot within the 14th. United States worldwide Christian Pulisic got here off the bench to attain in stoppage time.

Sevilla, who drew 0-Zero at Chelsea final week, additionally has 4 factors in Group E after beating Rennes 1-0.

KEAN STEPS UP

Italian ahead Moise Kean’s targets lifted Paris Saint-Germain to a 2-Zero win at Istanbul Başakşehir after Neymar limped off with a muscle pressure. Kean, who’s on mortgage to PSG from Premier League chief Everton, scored within the 64th and 79th minutes. After two targets within the French league on the weekend, Kean already matched his targets tally for all of final season in England.

For a sport between groups owned by the federal government of Turkey and the state of Qatar, PSG wore a uniform within the maroon of Qatar’s nationwide flag. The official attendance was 350.

REGAL RASHFORD

Manchester United’s Rashford has had a surprising October on and off the sphere, main a marketing campaign in opposition to little one poverty that embarrassed the British authorities. Rashford, who scored the successful aim at PSG final week, got here off the bench to attain a late hat trick and seal United’s 5-Zero rout of Leipzig, a semifinalist final season.

Another homegrown younger ahead, Mason Greenwood, opened the scoring within the first half and Anthony Martial scored a penalty. United leads Group H with a most six factors, three forward of PSG and Leipzig.

YOUNG STARS

Borussia Dortmund’s coveted younger forwards Jadon Sancho and Erling Haaland each scored late to beat Russian champion Zenit St. Petersburg 2-0. Neither sport in Group F was performed with followers within the stands, and Lazio traveled to Belgium with barely sufficient first-team gamers because of a COVID-19 outbreak on the membership.

Lazio nonetheless earned a 1-1 draw at Club Brugge to offer each 4 factors, one away from favored Dortmund with top-seeded Zenit final after two defeats.