![](https://static.standard.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2013/09/18/22/Messi-Barca.jpg?crop=8:5,smart&quality=75&auto=webp&width=1000)
Lionel Messi proved again last night that anything Cristiano Ronaldo does he can match by scoring a hat-trick as Barcelona thrashed Ajax 4-0 at the Nou Camp.
Twenty-four hours after Ronaldo scored three times in Real Madrid’s 6-1 win at Galatasaray, Messi (above) did the same. His first was the pick of the trio, a brilliant curling free kick in the 22nd minute. Gerard Pique got Barça’s other goal.
In Arsenal’s group, Napoli took the lead against Borussia Dortmund through Gonzalo Higuain’s glancing header in the 29th minute.
Dortmund coach Jürgen Klopp was sent off for arguing with the fourth official and the German side’s chances were further hit on the stroke of half time when goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller was given a red card for handball outside the area.
Lorenzo Insigne’s superb free-kick made the game safe with Napoli’s second goal with 22 minutes to go, though Dortmund pulled one back at the death through Camilo Zuniga’s own goal.
Schalke went to the top of Chelsea’s group with a 3-0 win over Steaua Bucharest in in Gelsenkirchen.