UEFA Champions League 2014-15 Results & Highlights: Lionel Messi Surpasses Raul Breaking All-Time Tourney Scoring Record
Just days after breaking Telmo Zarra's La Liga scoring record, Lionel Messi surpassed Raul's UEFA Champions League all-time scorers record in grand fashion, earning a hat-trick on the road against against Cyprus champion APOEL FC.
Luis Suarez opened up the scoring for Barcelona -- his first goal for the Spanish club since his transfer from Liverpool -- in the 27th minute thanks to Jordi Alba's assist. After that, it was "The Messi Show" scoring his record-breaking 72nd career Champions League goal in the 38th minute, adding the 73rd in the 58th minute with an assist from Dani Alves and 74th goal in the 87th minute to give Barcelona the 4-0 victory.
"I am happy for having achieved such a nice record in a competition of this importance," said Messi after the match, who also scored a hat-trick in breaking Zarra's record over the weekend the 5-1 victory over Sevilla. "But the really relevant thing is that we took the three points."
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APOEL finishes the day in the cellar of Group F with one point while Barcelona, who assured themselves a spot in the Round of 16 a while back, are still stuck in second place with 12 points. Paris St-Germain (PSG) is still the leader of Group F with 13 points and beat third-place Ajax Amsterdam (two points) on Wednesday thanks to the return of Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Uruguayan Edinson Cavani put PSG ahead 1-0 with an assist from Ezequiel Lavezzi on a fast break early in the game but Ajax's Davy Klaassen's header would tie the game in the 67th minute. Ibrahimovic gave PSG the lead in the 78th minute and Cavani would seal the deal for PSG, stealing a bad pass by the Ajax defense and score another goal in the 83rd minute to give PSG the win at home in Parc des Princes.
Paris St-Germain (PSG) vs Ajax Amsterdam
Sergio Aguero's hat-trick saved Manchester City from elimination in the tournament after defeating Bayern Munich at Etihad Stadium in a match that was tougher than it seemed despite the Bundesliga squad playing with a man down after the 20th minute of the game. Aguero scored his first goal of the night on a penalty kick that resulted from Bayern Munich defender Medhi Benatia eating a red card for sliding into the Argentinian striker's knees on a clear breakaway.
But despite being down a man, Bayern Munich would tie the game after Xabi Alonso scored off a free kick in the 40th minute and take a lead going into the half after Robert Lewandowski scored in the 45th minute. But the German champions would fail to hold on to the lead after Aguero stole the ball ffrom Bayern Munich's defense and scored on a fast break in the 85th minute. Aguero would give Man City the 3-2 victory in the first minute of stoppage time in the second half blasting a shot past Manuel Neuer after breaking down the German club's defense.
Bayern Munich, who has already qualified into the next round, earns their first loss in the Group Stage but stays atop of Group E with 12 points while Manchester City is still in last place with five points. The victory allows Man City to keep pace with second-place AS Roma and third-place CSKA Moscow, both who also have five points after playing to a 1-1 draw on Tuesday. Vasily Berezutskiy tied the game for Moscow late in the third minute of stoppage time in the second half, saving the Russian club from a loss at home and giving new life to Manchester City.
"We are always feeling positive but it does not always depend on what we can do," said Manuel Pellegrini to ITV regarding the defending English Premier League (EPL) champion's chances of moving on to the Round of 16. "We must try to have our chance to the end and the way to have that chance is to win at Roma."
Manchester City vs Bayern Munich
Current EPL table leaders Chelsea punched their ticket into the Round of 16 with a dominant 5-0 performance over Bundesliga club Schalke 04. John Terry quieted the German crowd at Veltins-Arena with a header on Cesc Fàbregas' corner kick in the second minute of the match to take the 1-0 lead. Chelsea would never look back, with the English club getting goals from Willian, Didier Drogba and Ramires as well as an own-goal by Schalke midfielder Jan Kirchhoff to beat "The Blues" former coach, Roberto Di Matteo -- who won a Champions League title for Chelsea in the 2011-2012 season.
"To win 5-0 away in the Champions League is not normal. To win 5-0 in Germany is even more not normal," said current Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho. "The performance was complete. It was very impressive. We have a good team. Obviously we can lose and the bad result is waiting for us. But the reality is the team is playing very well."
Chelsea stays atop Group G with 11 points while Schalke drops to third place with five points. Primeira Liga squad Sporting Lisbon moves to second place, with seven points, after beating last-place NK Maribor (three points) 3-1 at home in Estádio José Alvalade. Carlos Mané and Nani put the Portuguese squad up 2-0 before an own-goal by Jefferson gave Maribor some hope. But after a 50-minute delay at the start of the second half, due to a blown-out floodlight, Islam Slimani's in the 65th minute gave Lisbon the win.
Schalke 04 vs Chelsea
Primeira Liga's FC Porto, who had already qualified into the next round, locked up first place in Group H thumping last-place team BATE Borisov (three points) 3-0 on the road with goals from Colombian striker Jackson Martínez, Mexican midfielder Hector Herrera and Cristian Tello. Second-place Shakhtar Donetsk (eight points), who has also qualified into the Round of 16, took a loss to 1-0 loss to Athletic Bilbao after Mikel San Jose scored off of Beñat's free kick in the in the 68th minute.
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