Barcelona 3-1 Olympiakos: Messi leads third straight Champions League win as Pique sees red

Pep Guardiola got it right when he spoke about Lionel Messi a couple of years ago. 

“Don't write about him,” the former Barcelona coach said. “Don't even try to describe him. Just watch him.”

This was another night for watching the Barca star as he scored his 100th European goal and led Barcelona to a 3-0 win against Olympiakos in the Champions League. 

Dimitrios Nikolaou opened the scoring, turning Gerard Deulofeu’s goal into his own net, before Messi doubled Barca’s lead with a free-kick -- although not before Gerard Pique had been sent off for a second booking on the stroke of half-time. 

Barça’s third goal arrived via Lucas Digne, who finished smartly after some brilliant foot work from the once again inspired Messi, before Nikolaou scored a late consolation. 

It leaves Barca with nine points, three wins from three and top spot in Group D, with their place in the knockout rounds looking increasingly assured. 

Ernesto Valverde made four changes for the visit of his former side here, with Sergi Roberto, Digne, Paulinho and Deulofeu replacing Nelson Semedo, Jordi Alba, Ivan Rakitic and Andre Gomes. 

The early stages were conditioned by the weather, with thunder and lightning partnering with the pouring rain at Camp Nou, but Barca were still able to stamp their authority on the match. 

Deulofeu was creating most danger on the right but, once again, his final product was hit and miss. However, the opener still came from his cross, with Nikolaou turning into his own net. 

It’s the fifth time this season Barça have scored via an own goal -- making it the club’s second top scorer after Messi. 

Paulinho had a second goal ruled out for the Blaugrana for offside and then hit the bar, before Luis Suarez was denied by Silvio Proto after great work by Messi. 

However, the game turned at the end of the first half when Pique’s goal celebration was cut short by the flash of a red card. 

The Barca defender had already been booked when he handled Deulofeu’s cross to turn it over the line, earning him a second yellow card and an early return to the dressing room. 

Valverde shuffled his pack at the break as a result, bringing on Javier Mascherano in place of Deulofeu, who could consider himself unlucky and a victim of circumstance. 

Despite being down to 10, Barca began the second half as they’d ended the first, in complete control of the game. 

The second goal eventually arrived just after the hour, Messi scoring a free kick from 20 yards after he had been clattered from behind by Nikolaou, who earned himself a booking. 

Messi was central to the third goal, too, displaying some brilliant footwork on the byline and his pullback, which missed the first batch of bodies, was brilliantly finished by Digne.  

The travelling Greek fans had something to celebrate late on when Nikolaou scored at the right end, heading in a corner.