The irony of how superbly Lionel Messi played in Barcelona’s 4-0 defeat of Manchester City simply linked to the fact that he’s beginning to treat his former mentor a trifle too robustly.
Pep Guardiola has come back to the Camp Nou twice as a rival manager and during two aggregate 7-0 defeats it is his star pupil, Messi, who has scored five times, got an assist and won a penalty.
Not what you’d call gratitude.
But, all joking aside, what stood out about the Argentinian’s hat-trick (taking him to six goals in the UEFA Champions League already this season)…