Twitter explodes as magical Messi helps Barcelona beat Napoli 3-1

Lionel Messi produced one of his typical magical performance as Barcelona brushed aside Napoli to reach the quarter finals of the UEFA Champions League.

Clement Lenglet opened the scoring for Barcelona, heading home from a corner in controversial fashion. The Blaugrana then doubled their lead after Messi took the ball on the right and slalomed his way past a couple of defenders, the Argentine was fouled in the box, but got up and continued. Messi then managed to beat Ospina at the far post, somehow managing to shoot while falling to the ground.

Messi then scored one more, beautifully bringing an outrageous lofted ball by Frenkie de Jong. However, the goal was ruled out in controversial fashion as VAR deemed that Messi had handled the ball.

The Argentine then expertly put pressure on Kalidou Koulibaly inside Napoli's box and was caught as the defender tried to clear the ball. Barcelona were awarded a penalty courtesy of that challenge, but Messi appeared to come off worse because of Koulibaly's challenge. Luis Suarez stepped up to slot home the penalty.

Napoli pulled one back at the end of the first half, after Rakitic was deemed to have fouled in the box. Insigne stepped up to get what turned out to be only a consolation goal for the Italian outfit.

That Lionel Messi goal!

That goal is the purest distillation ot Messi. Takes on the whole backline, incredible control, gets up with no fuss, checks to fake Ospina and finds the finish off balance. No words can do this man justice

— Sameer (@Sameer_R13) August 8, 2020

Messi just achieved Cristiano’s dream of scoring a goal when falling on the ground.

— Rafael Hernández (@RafaelH117) August 8, 2020

Messi just beat four defenders on his hands and knees

— Nooruddean (@BeardedGenius) August 8, 2020

Comparing Ronaldo to Messi is an insult to football. His talent is unseen in the history of football. Look at d goal he scored! after dribbling 2 defenders he was tackled & he fell, he didn't lie on d floor to cry for penalty but he stood up & scored from a tight space! My GOAT pic.twitter.com/E2cY24JWUA

— MOHNICE (@Official_mohnyc) August 8, 2020

Defenders everywhere, twice on his arse (where I spend much of my time, obvs) and still finds a way. https://t.co/3aUr1WGEJL

— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) August 8, 2020

11 - All 11 @FCBarcelona players touched the ball in the build-up to their second goal against Napoli (Messi, 23'). Team.#UCL #BarçaNapoli pic.twitter.com/1kMKlIuuEJ

— OptaJorge (@OptaJorge) August 8, 2020

Ed Woodward’s been trying to negotiate £10m off Sancho’s transfer fee for ages and Messi just halved Koulibaly’s asking price

— Nooruddean (@BeardedGenius) August 8, 2020

Messi you beauty.... pic.twitter.com/ItyY8f7Ugx

— Ramzan Afzal (@RamzanAfzal3) August 8, 2020

Messi é sacanagem demais. Se não coloca um companheiro na cara do gol quando atrai defensores, prende a bola e vai driblando até conseguir ângulo pra finalizar. Outro patamar de jogador.pic.twitter.com/eQCa6S2Q1e

— Leonardo Miranda (@leoffmiranda) August 8, 2020

How do you put this man's brilliance for Barcelona in words?

Lionel Messi has scored 1.3% of the goals scored in Champions League history 🤯 pic.twitter.com/v0ZPf6eey6

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) August 8, 2020

Napoli is the 3⃣5⃣th team in UCL history to concede at least one Messi goal. Messi scored most UCL goals against:9 — Arsenal8 — AC Milan8 — Celtic7 — Leverkusen6 — Ajax6 — Man City#BarcelonaNapoli

— STATS OF THE GOAT (@MessiStats_) August 8, 2020

12 - Barcelona’s Lionel Messi has been directly involved in 12 goals in his last six home Champions League knockout matches at Camp Nou (9 goals, 3 assists). Stage. pic.twitter.com/HFYENGuim2

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 8, 2020

🔵🔴 Messi has 27 goals in 30 UCL round of 16 games. No player has scored more in history.@FCBarcelona | #UCL pic.twitter.com/tHdfeSMTOS

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) August 8, 2020

Successful dribbles in the first half of Barcelona 3-1 Napoli:Lionel Messi - 5⃣Nelson Semedo - 4⃣Antoine Griezmann - 3⃣Napoli - 1⃣ pic.twitter.com/rmT3u8wRG6

— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) August 8, 2020

Messi tying his boot while giving away a PK to a teammate. What a flex 😂 pic.twitter.com/4feE7GrMzJ

— Barcelona Worldwide (@BarcaWorldwide) August 8, 2020

Lol @ people who think Messi is not the GOAT because he hasn’t played in other leagues. Imagine what he’d do in Italy

— FG (@FunnyGooner) August 8, 2020

Messi scores a wonder goal, has one wrongly disallowed and then wins a penalty (which he doesn’t take). All in 45 minutes. Yet the scoreline will say all he did was score one. The GOAT pic.twitter.com/bC3ZxmNEXT

— MC (@CrewsMat19) August 8, 2020

Napoli ✅Lionel Messi extends his record for most UCL opponents scored against. pic.twitter.com/3d1OfaFtDh

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) August 8, 2020

* Messi lets a teammate take the penalty kick*Ronaldo: pic.twitter.com/y1eYE26Ec5

— Tega 🔥 (@haa_ree0) August 8, 2020

VAR took infinitely long to give the penalty for Koulibaly's challenge on Lionel Messi

Took four minutes to decide that someone hacking at Messi’s calf was a foul

— Nooruddean (@BeardedGenius) August 8, 2020

Some feat that for Lorenzo Insigne

1 - Lorenzo #Insigne is the first italian player ever able to scored at least one goal at Bernabeu vs Real Madrid and one goal at Camp Nou vs Barcelona in the UCL history. Tricolour.#BarcaNapoli pic.twitter.com/0Ab68esynj

— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) August 8, 2020

The bottling jokes came out as soon as Napoli scored their first

I'm sure Barcelona won't be rattled. A three goal lead is normally safe in the Champions League.

— Paddy Power (@paddypower) August 8, 2020