Sport : Football

Barca survive scare; Bayern win

19th September 2012, 10:38pm

Bet with SkyBet  Champions League. Click here to bet.

Messi scored twice to help Barcelona win

Messi scored twice to help Barcelona win

A review of Wednesday night's Champions League action not involving British clubs, including wins for Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

Barcelona avoided a shock at home to Spartak Moscow in their opening Champions League clash as Lionel Messi scored twice in the final 19 minutes to earn them a 3-2 victory.

Cristian Tello put Barca ahead in the 14th minute but an own goal from Dani Alves and a second-half strike from Borges Romulo saw Spartak turn the game on its head and leave the Nou Camp shellshocked.

Messi, as he so often is, was Barca's hero though as he scored in the 71st and 80th minutes to leave Tito Vilanova's men top of Group G.

In Group F, Bayern Munich and BATE Borisov both started their campaigns with victories.

Bayern beat Valencia 2-1 with Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos on the scoresheet for the Germans with the Spanish side pulling a goal back late on through Nelson Haedo Valdez.

Bayern also missed a last-minute penalty through Mario Mandzukic after Valencia defender Adil Rami had been sent off.

Belarusian champions BATE saw off Lille 3-1 thanks to a blistering first-half display.

Alexander Volodko swept the visitors in front with just six minutes on the clock with a superb lofted finish over Mickael Landreau, and further goals from Vitaly Rodionov and Edgar Olekhnovich effectively ended the contest before half-time.

Aurelien Chedjou reduced the deficit just before the hour mark but the French side could not get any closer.

In Group H, the early leaders are CFR Cluj, who beat Braga 2-0 away following a classy first-half brace from Brazilian striker Rafael Bastos.

And in Group E, Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored twice to give Shakhtar Donetsk a 2-0 win over FC Nordsjaelland.

Bet with SkyBet  Champions League. Click here to bet.

Football Videos

    Whelan not nervous over Martinez

    Whelan not nervous over Martinez

    22-May-2013

    Wigan chairman Dave Whelan says Roberto Martinez will make a decision on his future in the next 24 hours.

    Champions League on iPad

    Champions League on iPad

    22-May-2013

    Make sure you check out the new Sky Sports 360 feature during the Champions League final on iPad, where you can view all the highlights from multiple camera angles.

    Falcao shrugs off move talk

    Falcao shrugs off move talk

    22-May-2013

    Radamel Falcao insists he is not thinking about a move away from Atletico Madrid.

    The key to German success

    The key to German success

    22-May-2013

    Ahead of Saturday's all-German Champions League final, Amy Lewis has been analysing the stats which have set the German sides apart from the rest in this year's competition.

    Sky Bet

      • Retrieving latest Sky Bet odds

    Facebook Favourites