Magisterial Messi helps Barcelona crush Bayern Munich, spoil Guardiola's return

Pep Guardiola returned to the Camp Nou on Wednesday evening, and from the sideline of the ever-familiar stadium, saw something he's witnessed firsthand more than most on the planet: Lionel Messi doing things that normal human beings can't even fathom.

The Barcelona megastar welcomed the Bayern Munich manager back to his old stomping grounds by scoring two stunning goals in the second half - including one that saw him break Jerome Boateng's ankles and simultaneously rip out his heart - to lead the Blaugrana to a 3-0 victory in the opening leg of their semifinal tie.

After the diminutive Argentine put Bayern on a platter with his incredible brace, Neymar gladly finished them off, adding a third goal in the closing seconds to put the tie out of reach. Naturally, Messi supplied the assist.

Here's what you need to know from Wednesday's match Lionel Messi masterclass:

• Barcelona's fans unveiled a beautiful, stadium-wide tifo ahead of the match, which included the phrase "We Are Ready" on the center stands. Visually pleasing as it was, the banter it spawned from Bayern Munich's Twitter account was even better:

• Lionel Messi made his 100th European appearance for the Blaugrana on the evening, becoming the third-youngest player to ever accomplish the feat.

• Despite literally having a broken face, Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski started Wednesday's contest, leading the line for Guardiola. Lewandowski, who sustained a broken jaw and cheekbone just over a week ago in a German Cup match against Borussia Dortmund, was also confirmed to have suffered a concussion in that contest. We can only hope that he didn't see Dani Alves' pre-match attire, otherwise his head would be spinning.

(Courtesy: Barcelona)

• After a blistering opening 10 minutes that saw spaces galore for both teams, particularly Barcelona, to exploit, the Catalan club got the first big chance of the contest. With Bayern's defense pressing high up the pitch, a long ball broke the offside trap and sent Luis Suarez clean through on goal. His low drive, aimed for the far post, was denied by the enormous leg of the world's top goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer.

• Lewandowski, sporting a black protective mask that he wore in training ahead of the contest to combat the aforementioned facial injuries, had the visitor's first big chance, making a run into the area and finding himself all alone from just outside the six-yard box. Unfortunately for the German club, he could't get onto the end of a low cross, with his outstretched leg not quite long enough to make clean contact with the ball.

• Back and forth the two European Goliaths went, until one manager decided that things were a little too open for his liking ...

• Less than 20 minutes in, Guardiola realized that his team, as set up from the opening whistle, was in danger of being shredded by Barcelona's lightning-quick attack. The manager quickly ditched his initial formation, which utilized a three-man defense, opting to revert to a more traditional four-man back-line.

• That helped to ensure that Neuer didn't have to continue making plays like this:

Second Half

• After some brief pressure from Bayern to begin the second stanza, the match settled into a well-defined pattern, with the German side sitting deeper and not allowing themselves to be hit by the quick breaks that had them in danger early in the first half. The one time they were breached, Neuer - as he so often does - came to the rescue.

• Barcelona 1, Bayern Munich 0: Messi, of course. The best player on the pitch was the one to break the deadlock in the 77th minute, receiving the ball at the top of the box shortly after Juan Bernat lost possession, and proceeded to fire a low blast beyond Neuer to send the roughly 95,000 people in the Camp Nou into raptures.

• Barcelona 2, Bayern Munich 0: Three minutes later, we were treated to sheer, unfiltered brilliance. Bow down, mortals; we are not worthy. Just sit back, enjoy, and say a prayer for Jerome Boateng. Nobody deserves this kind of savagery to come upon them.

• The immaculate goal put Messi back ahead of perennial rival Cristiano Ronaldo in the battle for Champions League scoring supremacy:

• Barcelona 3, Bayern Munich 0: Bayern Munich pressed to get a prized away goal, and they paid for it dearly in the 94th minute. After losing the ball in the attacking third, Barcelona sprung out on a blistering counter, with Messi rolling the ball through for Neymar. The Brazilian calmly slotted it beyond Neuer. Game, set, match.

• Perhaps we should have seen it coming all along:

• The second leg, to be played at the Allianz Arena, is slated for May 12.