BARCELONA, Spain -- Lionel Messi scored a hat trick to inflict a humbling defeat on his former mentor Pep Guardiola on Wednesday, leading Barcelona to an emphatic 4-0 victory over Manchester City in the Champions League.Messi sped through Citys defense and around former Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo before giving the hosts a 17th-minute lead in a Group C match that both teams finished with 10 men.It only got worse for Bravo, who was sent off in the 53rd minute for using his hands to block a shot outside the area after his poor pass gifted the ball to Luis Suarez.Messi struck again in the 61st and 69th to take his total to 89 goals in Europes top club competition. The Argentina forward is second only to Cristiano Ronaldo, who has scored 98.Barcelona was reduced to 10 men after substitute Jeremy Mathieu was shown a second yellow card in the 73rd, but Neymar still rounded off the win from a pass by Messi. The Brazil striker scored moments after he had missed a penalty that Messi had earned.We know Barcelona. When they arrive (in the area) their strikers punish you, Guardiola said. Its October. We have lost a match. Its not a quarterfinal or semifinal. Now we have to analyze what happened and rest ... We are in the process (of growth).Guardiola lost for the second time upon returning to Camp Nou where he established himself as one of the worlds top managers by leading Barcelona to 14 titles from 2008-12. The former Barcelona player coached Bayern Munich when the German side lost 3-0 here in the Champions League semifinals two years ago, when Messi scored twice.After winning its first 10 matches under Guardiola, City has now gone winless in four games in all competitions.Barcelona extended its unbeaten run at home in European competition to 18 matches.A third win in as many games increased the five-time European champions control of the group. Barcelona has nine points, while second-place City stays on four. Borussia Moenchengladbach is third with three points after beating Celtic 2-0 in Glasgow.Barcelona and City will meet again in Manchester on Nov. 1.Messi scored a hat trick in consecutive games in the Champions League for the first time -- after three goals in a record-setting 7-0 win over Celtic. He missed the 2-1 victory over Moenchengladbach while being sidelined for three weeks with injury.Messi returned from that right groin strain on Saturday, scoring as a substitute to help beat Deporitvo La Coruna 4-0.We have seen Messis capacity to finish off goals. Its like he is playing in the school yard. He never gets nervous, said Luis Enrique. It doesnt matter how many days he has been inactive, how many games he has missed ... (he is) total football. Those of us who train with him are continually amazed by what he does. Not just for the goals he scores, but how he helps the team.As expected from teams that have both been stylized by Guardiola, City tried to be Barcelonas mirror image from the start.In a controversial move, Guardiola left striker Sergio Aguero on the bench in a bid to strengthen midfield and dispute Barcelonas ball control more, before eventually sending him on in the 79th.Both sides pressed high up the pitch, fought for possession of the ball, and exchanged attractive flowing attacks. But Messi didnt allow the parity to last very long.Andres Iniesta slipped a pass back to Messi, Citys Fernandinho fell while trying to chase, and the forward was left all alone to send Bravo floundering to the turf before steering the ball into the empty net.City finally managed to threaten in the closing stages of the first half, when Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen denied Ilkay Gundogans shot from close range and John Stones headed wide.City, however, soon found itself playing with 10 men after both his hands and feet failed Bravo.Guardiola had urged City to buy Bravo from Barcelona at the start of the season for his allegedly superior passing skills to predecessor Joe Hart.But Bravo gave Suarez the ball with a poor pass outside his box. He compounded that by raising his arms to block his resulting shot, leaving the referee no choice but to send him off.Bravos sending-off was decisive, Luis Enrique said.Messi later made good on the advantage by taking Iniestas pass and firing past Bravos replacement, Willy Caballero, who would later save a penalty from Neymar.Messi then used his left foot for a third time when he tapped in Suarezs pass after the striker pounced on Gundogens errant pass for Stones, who was then unable to prevent Neymar from scoring with a low shot in the 89th. Shannon Sharpe Jersey . Their experience showed Tuesday as the No. 10 Badgers blunted a Saint Louis surge to win 63-57 and advance to face West Virginia in Wednesdays finals of the Cancun Challenge. Gary Zimmerman Youth Jersey . The move comes after the Canadiens were approached by the Buffalo Sabres for permission to speak to Dudley - a former Sabres player and head coach. "The Sabres called for permission and I appreciate that, Im flattered, Dudley told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun of ESPN. http://www.thebroncosstoreonline.com/Youth-Shannon-Sharpe-Broncos-Jerseys/ . Jon Montgomerys gold medal in skeleton at the Whistler Sliding Centre and his subsequent auctioning off of a pitcher of beer in the village square elevated him to folk-hero status. Peyton Manning Womens Jersey . - Levi Browns tenure at left tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers is over before it even began. Dre Mont Jones Broncos Jersey .C. -- Al Jefferson joked that he feels he can score from anywhere on the court. The first weekend of the college football season is loaded. Here are five things to know as you prepare to immerse yourself in football.BEST GAMENo. 1 Alabama vs. No. 20 USC? No. 10 Notre Dame at Texas? No. 18 Georgia vs. No. 22 North Carolina. No. 5 LSU vs. Wisconsin at Lambeau Field. And thats just to name a few. Lots of interesting matchups from which to choose, but the best looks as if it will be the last.No. 11 Mississippi faces No. 4 Florida State in Orlando, Florida, on Monday night. The Rebels are in a bit of a reload season after losing three first-round draft picks that were the heart of a team coming off two straight New Years Six bowl appearances. There is still plenty for the Ole Miss fans to be excited about, starting with Chad Kelly, one of the best quarterbacks in the country, throwing to a bunch of speedy receivers.Florida State seems set everywhere but quarterback. Redshirt Deondre Francois takes over a team with national title hopes. Dalvin Cook is one of the best running backs in the country and safety Derwin James is a versatile playmaker on defense.Add in some SEC-ACC bragging rights and you have the game of the week.HEISMAN WATCHNo player could do more for his Heisman Trophy hopes in Week 1 than Houston quarterback Greg Ward Jr. The 15th-ranked Cougars open against No. 3 Oklahoma at NRG Stadium, the home of the Houston Texans. If Ward, who passed for 2,828 yards, ran for 1,108 yards and accounted for 38 touchdowns last season, has a big game and leads the Cougars to an upset, he can vault himself into the heart of a crowded field of Heisman contenders that includes three of the top four vote-getters from last season.If Ward and the Cougars play a clunker, you can probably scratch him off the list of possible winners.NUMBERS TO KNOW-Longest current season-opener winning streaks:Florida -- 26. The Gators play UMass at the Swamp.USC -- 17. The Trojans face Alabama in Arlington, Texas.Ohio State -- 16. The Buckeyes host Bowling Green.-Nebraska coach Mike Riley and Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall each enter the season with 99 victories. The Cornhuskers open the season at home against Fresno State. Mendenhalls first game as Cavalierrs coach is home against FCS power Richmond.dddddddddddd(SLIGHTLY) OFF THE RADARBYU opens against Arizona at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, marking the return of Cougars QB Taysom Hill for a sixth season of eligibility.Hill lost most of each of the last two seasons to injuries. He also did a Mormon mission at the start of his career. So now at 26, a quarterback who was in the same recruiting class in 2009 as Matt Barkley, gets one more chance to lead the Cougars. When healthy Hill drew comparisons to Tim Tebow. He won a tight competition with Tanner Mangum to win the starting job.The Arizona game is the first in a string of high-level opponents for the independent BYU. Also on the schedule: Utah, UCLA, West Virginia, Toledo, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Boise State and Cincinnati. All of those teams played in bowl games last season. All but Cincinnati spent at least one week ranked.Regardless of how well the Cougars do, a full season from Hill will be a victory.COACH IN NEED OF A WINIts never too early to start the hot seat watch.Texas A&Ms Kevin Sumlin and Auburns Gus Malzahn enter the season with pressure to change the trajectory of their programs. Both start with huge home openers. The Aggies take on No. 16 UCLA and Auburn host No. 2 Clemson and Deshaun Watson.Big challenges and great opportunities to show things are headed in the right direction. Also, a chance to start 0-1 in front of the home crowd.For Auburn, a solid showing against a team that pushed Alabama in the championship game could make a loss in the opener palatable to Malzahns critics. Thats not necessarily the case for Sumlin. UCLA has the ranking and the star quarterback in Josh Rosen, but the Aggies are favored at home by a couple points. It is a winnable game. The Aggies are 1-6 at Kyle Field against ranked teams under Sumlin. Fall to 1-7, with an always tough slate of SEC West games still ahead, and things almost immediately get uncomfortable in College Station, Texas.---Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP ' ' '
