Champions League wrap: Barcelona thrash Roma, Bayern Pummel Olympiacos, Arsenal defy odds and Jose is back.

 

The menacing trio of Luis Suarez, Neymar and captain of the night Lionel Messi displayed another world class showing after Saturday’s El Clasico victory with a mesmerising 6-1 win over AS Roma in their Champions League tie on Tuesday night. The Blaugrana were ahead on 15 minutes as Neymar’s long pass carved open the Giallorossi defence, Dani Alves squaring for an unmarked Suarez who tapped home into the back of an empty net.
Messi, returning to the starting line-up following a two month injury lay-off, ghosted in three minutes later to dink home his side’s second, before a fierce Suarez volley just before half-time gave his side a 3-0 lead heading into the break.
Barca were relentless in the second period, Gerard Pique recording his name on the scoresheet before Messi secured his brace three minutes later. A late Neymar penalty was saved by Roma keeper Wojciech Szczesny, only for substitute Adriano to smash home the follow-up before Edin Dzeko’s late consolation goal, as Luis Enrique’s men secured a 6-1 victory and top spot in Group E.
Elsewhere, German giants Bayern Munich were equally as ruthless, securing a 4-0 win over Greek outfit Olympiacos. Douglas Costa, Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller and Kingsley Coman were all on target for the Bavarians, who made sure of their qualification into the knockout stages.
Arsenal clung onto their slim hopes of progression with a 3-0 win over Croatian opponents Dinamo Zagreb, a Mesut Ozil header and Alexis Sanchez brace meaning they lie three points behind Olympiacos, with the duo squaring off in the last group stage match in a straight shootout for second place in Group F.
Chelsea seem back to their former selves after earning a 4-0 away win over Israeli outfit Maccabi Haifa, Gary Cahill, Oscar, Willian and Kurt Zouma scoring for the Blues, who movede to the summit of Group G yet are not guaranteed a place in the Last 16 after FC Porto lost 2-0 at home to Dynamo Kiev.
Olympique Lyon’s 2-1 loss at home to Gent sees them remain bottom of Group H, the French outfit sealing their own fate as they fail to progress in the tournament.
Earlier in the evening, Zenit St Petersburg maintained their perfect record with a 2-0 win over Valencia, as BATE Borisov and Bayer Leverkusen shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw.

See full Champions League tables here

Tuesday night Champions League results:
BATE 1 – 1 Bayer Leverkusen  
Zenit 2 – 0 Valencia  
Barcelona 6 - 1  Roma  
Arsenal 3 – 0 Dinamo Zagreb  
Bayern Munich 4 – 0 Olympiacos  
Porto 0 – 2 Dynamo Kyiv  
Maccabi Tel Aviv 0 – 4 Chelsea  
Olympique Lyonnais 1 – 2 Gent