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Camp Nou - Barcelona 19/09/2012 - 20:45CET (20:45 local time)
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Barcelona - Spartak Moskva 3-2 - 19/09/2012 - Match page - UEFA Champions League 2013
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Messi's Barcelona show sees off Spartak
It took another Lionel Messi show of nerve and class to rescue FC Barcelona from a shock home defeat by FC Spartak Moskva in their UEFA Champions League Group G opener.
Competition top scorer for the last four seasons, the Argentina forward's second-half double meant despair for Unai Emery's visitors. They had overcome the concession of Tello's 14th-minute effort to lead through a Daniel Alves own goal and a cool strike from midfielder Romulo just before the hour.
Match in 5
- Messi scores two second-half goals
- Vilanova wins first UEFA Champions League match
- Blaugrana take an early two-point lead in Group G
- Emery now 13 without victory against Barça
- Stirring display from Spartak, Emenike impressing
Reaction
Spartak's approach was interesting, particularly since [Unai] Emery knows us. They got back into it and we couldn’t get comfortable or play passes between the lines.
Javier Mascherano, Barcelona defender
The most important thing was to score, which we did, but it was not enough. In attack we wanted something more. To beat Barcelona you need to play a perfect match.
Unai Emery, Spartak coach
Lineups
 | Barcelona |  | Spartak Moskva |
| 1 | Víctor Valdés (GK) | 31 | Dykan (GK) (C) |
| 2 | Daniel Alves 29 64 | 2 | Insaurralde |
| 3 | Piqué12 | 6 | Rafael Carioca |
| 4 | Fàbregas | 7 | K. Kombarov 3146 |
| 6 | Xavi Hernández (C) | 8 | McGeady |
| 10 | Messi 7280 | 9 | Ari83 |
| 14 | Mascherano | 17 | Suchý77 |
| 16 | Busquets | 21 | Källström4278 |
| 17 | Pedro Rodríguez | 23 | D. Kombarov |
| 21 | Adriano | 29 | Emenike44 |
| 37 | Tello1474 | 37 | Romulo5975 |
Substitutes | |||
| 13 | José Pinto (GK) | 30 | Pesyakov (GK) |
| 7 | Villa74 | 3 | Bryzgalov |
| 9 | Alexis Sánchez64 | 10 | Dzyuba83 |
| 11 | Thiago Alcántara | 14 | Yakovlev |
| 15 | Bartra | 19 | Jurado78 |
| 19 | Montoya | 25 | Bilyaletdinov |
| 25 | Song1234 | 34 | Makeev46 |
Coaches | |||
| Tito Vilanova (ESP) | Unai Emery (ESP) | ||
Referee | |||
| Milorad Mažić (SRB) | |||
Standings
Group G
| P | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Barcelona | 1 | 3 |
| 2 |  Benfica | 1 | 1 |
| 2 |  Celtic | 1 | 1 |
| 4 |  Spartak Moskva | 1 | 0 |
Legend:
- P: Played
- Pts: Points
Match statistics
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Minute By Minute
- 83Dzyuba (in) - Ari (out) (Spartak Moskva)
- 80Messi (Barcelona) scores!
Lionel Messi puts Barcelona ahead with a rare header, rising to turn in Alexis Sánchez's cross. Heartbreaking for Spartak, who have defended so manfully. - 78Jurado (in) - Källström (out) (Spartak Moskva)
- 77Suchý (Spartak Moskva) is shown a yellow card.
Graham Hunter, Camp Nou: The name adorning all the newspapers will be Lionel Messi, again, because his two goals in nine second-half minutes rescued Barcelona from a home defeat. But it was Tello, the young winger who provided a goal and an assist, who dragged the home team back into this. Kudos to Unai Emery and his men for a valiant display, particularly Ari and Emmanuel Emenike, but they have been denied what would have been a fantastic three points.