UCL: Messi breaks Raul's scoring record, Aguero rescues Man City against Bayern

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  • King of football: Lionel Messi is now the top scorer in the Champions League after scroring a hat-trick against APOEL.

    Lionel Messi has cemented his place as the Champions League’s most prolific goalscorer after his hat-trick helped Barcelona to a 4-0 win over APOEL

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    The Argentine scored his first in the 38th minute with a close range effort, which took his tally to 72 goals, breaking the record previously held by Raul, who has featured for Real Madrid and Schalke in the competition. 

    He followed up his first with two more in the second half – a clever chip over the on-rushing goalkeeper in the 58th minute before tapping the ball into the back of the net in the 87th minute to round off a comprehensive performance from the Catalans.

    “I am very happy. It is fantastic to achieve this record in this beautiful and important competition,” a jubilant Messi said. 

    Coach Luis Enrique also had kind words for the attacker: “[Lionel] Messi is the greatest player of all time. He will continue to surprise us all for years to come.”

    The 27-year-old’s hat-trick came after summer signing Luis Suarez netted for the first time for the Blaugrana outfit in the 27th minute, with his turn and finish giving Barcelona the lead after dominating early on.

    “I did not have any anxiety,” Suarez explained. “I was calm because, while I was not scoring, I was helping the team. The important thing is to obtain results. In terms of my position, that depends on the moment.”

    Messi, though, was not the only Argentinian to make the headlines as a hat-trick from compatriot Sergio Aguero saved Manchester City from an early exit in their narrow 3-2 win over Bayern Munich.

    Despite the Bavarians dominating proceedings early on, it was Manuel Pellegrini’s men who took the lead in the 21st minute when Aguero coolly slotted home from the penalty spot after he was fouled by Benatia, who was subsequently sent off, in the box 

    Although ten men down, Bayern Munich made it seem as though City were at a disadvantage, finding composure and creating chances on the ball and pressing high up the pitch without it.

    Their exploits were duly rewarded in the 40th minute when Xabi Alonso tucked home a clever free-kick from 20 yards out before Robert Lewandowski headed home on the stroke of half-time to give Munich the lead.

    Late into the match, however, the hosts upped the ante as it looked increasingly likely that the Etihad outfit would prematurely exit the competition for the second time in three years.

    The Citizens took full advantage of a misplaced pass from Xabi Alonso and Stevan Jovetic set up Aguero for his second in the 85th minute before the 26-year-old made use of a defensive error to edge ahead in stoppage time, giving City hope of qualifying from the group stage.

    “Everything got ruined,” Alonso lamented. “We played well and had total control. Then we made these two mistakes and it was crazy.

    “With one more player on the pitch it would have probably been different. And that’s a pity.”

    Meanwhile, Chelsea romped to a 5-0 victory over Schalke in a match tha left manager Jose Mourinho impressed.

    “They did a fantastic match,” said Mourinho. “In this moment this team is very mature. To win in the Champions League 5-0 away from home is not normal, and 5-0 away in Germany is even less normal. Every player individually in the team did a very complete performance, very impressive. 

    John Terry opened the scoring in the 2nd minute with a header off a corner and goals from Willian and Jan Kirchhoff saw the visitors head into half-time with a 3-0 lead.

    Substitutes Dider Drogba and Ramires secured the victory with two quick-fire goals as Chelsea cemented their position at the top of Group G. 

    Elswhere,  Paris Saint-Germain lead Group F by a solitary point after their 3-1 win over Ajax with Edinson Cavani netting a double, Athletic Bilbao secured this first Champions League win over the season with a 1-0 victory over Shakhtar DonetskPorto comprehensively dealt with BATE Borisov with a 3-0 victory, Roma and CSKA Moscow dre 1-1 and Sporting beat Maribor 3-1 to round the evening’s fixtures.

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