5 greatest Lionel Messi performances in the UEFA Champions League

#1 Barcelona 3-0 Bayern Munich 2015, Semi-finals

Messi taught Neuer a lesson on the pitch

Without a doubt, Messi’s greatest performance in the Champions League came in the 2015 semi-final against Bayern Munich at the Camp Nou. The game had been covered in anticipation during the build-up, as it pitted the Catalans against their ex-boss, Pep Guardiola. It was a battle between the ideology of Barcelona against the philosophy of the man who had been central to their recent rise.

Guardiola had brought great things to the Allianz Arena and had the Bavarians purring to the same tactics that had brought him unprecedented success at the Camp Nou. Bayern were expected to test Barcelona’s mettle and also the strength of Messi, who had been challenged by Manuel Neuer before the game. The German goalkeeper would live to rue that decision.

The Bavarians managed to frustrate the Catalans for the majority of the game, and even enjoyed more possession than the Spanish giants. However, it only took Messi three minutes to turn the tide in Barcelona’s favor and the goals were worth waiting for.

Neuer tried to initiate a quick counter at the end of a Barcelona attack in the 77th minute, but his ball was intercepted by Dani Alves, who unleashed Messi. The Argentine hit a hard and low strike from the edge of the penalty box, which crept into the near post. Barcelona were ahead, the game had sprung to life and Messi was hungry for more.

Three minutes later, the Argentinean received the ball from Ivan Rakitic and ran at the Bayern defense. Jerome Boateng and the rest of the world lay witness to the aura of Messi, as the diminutive magician sent the burly defender to the floor with the neatest of tricks. There was still the small task of defeating Neuer, the same goalkeeper who had frustrated him in the 2014 World Cup final.

Messi, though, had the perfect reply to the German goalkeeper’s provocation ahead of the game. When the Argentinean ran into the box past Boateng, Neuer rushed out of his box, but Messi lifted the ball over the head, perhaps giving the German a timely reminder of who was the boss.

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