Messi scored a hat-trick to help Barca thrash Man City 4-0.

Lionel Messi's brilliant performance helped Barca thrash Man City 4-0, making Pep Guardiola's return to Camp Nou a bittersweet experience.

Pep Guardiola played a major role in building the current Barcelona empire, as well as transforming Messi into a "superman" of world football, during the period from 2008-2012 when he worked with the Catalan team.

Messi had a spectacular game.

However, since leaving Nou Camp, Pep has never achieved the glory he once had with Barca. Moreover, every time he and his new team returned to his old home, it was associated with heavy defeats.

In the 2014-15 season, Pep and Bayern Munich suffered a 0-3 defeat in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final. Messi scored a brace in that victory, helping Barca to win the Champions League and the treble.

This time, things were even worse for Pep. Messi's class was on display with a hat-trick, along with a penalty that Neymar missed, giving Barca a resounding 4-0 victory. The remaining goal was scored by Neymar.

Every time Pep and his new team return to his old home ground, it's been associated with heavy defeats.

Notably, Barca entered the match with Jordi Alba and Gerard Pique both injured and forced to leave the field early. But Pep was unable to create a sufficiently varied attacking game to break down his former team's structure.

Returning twice, failing to score and conceding seven goals – a humiliating experience. Pep was humiliated, and so was Claudio Bravo. The Chilean goalkeeper reunited with his former team after a dismal performance, resulting in an early red card.

Starting lineup:

Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Mascherano, Pique (Mathieu 39'), Umtiti, Alba (Digne 10'); Rakitic, Busquets, Iniesta (Andre Gomes 80'); Messi, Suarez, Neymar.

Goals: Messi 17, 61, 69, Neymar 89.

Red card: Mathieu 73'

Manchester City: Bravo; Zabaleta (Clichy 58''), Otamendi, Stones, Kolarov; Fernandinho, Gundogan (Aguero 79'); Silva, Sterling, Nolito (Caballero 58'); De Bruyne.

Red card: Bravo 53'.

According to Vietnamnet