Messi and Mesut Ozil's hat-trick spearheaded Arsenal and Barcelona won their
Champions League games.
Sanchez's first goal in four games sparked
Arsenal's second win in three European games, stretching the Gunners' unbeaten
run to 11 matches in all competitions.
Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also hit the net, with
Ozil's second-half hat-trick helping Arsenal retain top spot in Group A.
The Gunners remained above Paris St Germain on goal difference,
after the French side beat Basle 3-0.
Arsenal's victory moved them one step closer to a potential
group decider when PSG head to the Emirates Stadium on November 26.
Sanchez offered the game's outstanding moment just 12 minutes
in, his sumptuous chip kick-starting Arsenal's routine triumph.
The Chile forward left Cosmin Moti and Ludogorets captain
Svetoslav Dyakov trailing in his wake as he checked his run before delivering
the delicious finish.
Walcott had already wasted a gilt-edged chance by that point, squaring
to Sanchez instead of firing on goal himself.
Jonathan Cafu reminded Arsenal of the visitors' pace on the
break, half-rounding David Ospina only to scuff his attempt.
Ozil then fluffed another fine opening, failing to connect
sweetly when gifted the ball on the edge of the area from Moti's poor
clearance.
Defensive misalignment then yielded needless pressure for the
Gunners, who spent the first half's middle third on the back foot rather than
killing the contest.
First Ospina was forced into a fine save to deny Virgil Misidjan
and bail out the errant Shkodran Mustafi, who had failed to deliver a clearing
header.
Then Wanderson grazed a post after Laurent Koscielny and
Mustafi's position at the heart of Arsenal's defence again came under fire.
Still somehow unscathed, Arsenal promptly killed the game, with
Walcott firing home from 20 yards.
The muted celebration from the Gunners forward can be put down
to Ludogorets goalkeeper Vladislav Stoyanov's poor positioning, as any Premier
League stopper would surely have dealt with Walcott's effort.
Arsenal wasted no time cementing victory after the break, adding
two quick goals to double their lead.
Oxlade-Chamberlain gladly swept home from Nataniel's weak
clearance, before Ozil raced through to bury Arsenal's fourth.
The Germany midfielder issued a technical master-class in
trapping Santi Cazorla's lofted pass without breaking full stride, before
applying a calm finish.
Ludogorets' resolve was broken, and Arsenal set about glossing
the scoreline, with Ozil running riot. As the game opened up, the 28-year-old
plundered two more goals, to send the Emirates into late raptures.
Second-half replacement Lucas Perez laid on both of Ozil's late
goals too in a neat cameo that no doubt delighted boss Arsene Wenger.
Bravo, the goalkeeper controversially
signed by Guardiola from Barca this season, was sent off for handling outside
the area after blundering an attempt to play out from the back.
Messi, who had already scored one in a breathless Champions
League Group C clash at the Nou Camp, took further advantage with two more and
Neymar, after missing a penalty, added a late fourth.
Barca also finished the game with 10 men after Jeremy Mathieu -
a 39th-minute substitute for the injured Gerard Pique - was dismissed for two
bookings in quick succession.
It proved far from a happy homecoming for the revered Guardiola,
who made a huge call before kick-off by leaving star striker Sergio Aguero on
the bench.
His reasoning was that he wanted more midfielders, presumably to
combat Barcelona's attacking arsenal, but the tactic failed.
Instead, Kevin De Bruyne was deployed in the 'false nine'
position Messi sometimes played under Guardiola at Barca.
City were given an early warning as Neymar weaved his way to the
byline but his pull-back found no-one. In a lively start, City also broke as
Raheem Sterling and David Silva exchanged passes but Marc-Andre ter Stegen
dealt with the England man's cross.
The opening minutes were promising for City but Barca quickly
overcame the early loss of Jordi Alba to injury and began to take a firm grip.
A quick break saw Luis Suarez slip in Neymar. John Stones
cleared but Barca came back again with Messi combining with Andres Iniesta on a
charge into the box. Fernandinho slipped at an unfortunate moment and suddenly
the ruthless Messi had all the space he needed he round Bravo and put Barca
ahead.
Suarez almost added another moments later after Messi poked the
ball in his direction but the former Liverpool forward lashed into the
side-netting.
Another chance went by as Ivan Rakitic headed a free-kick over
but City could have been back level by the break as Nolito and Ilkay Gundogan
forced saves out of Ter Stegen. Stones had an even better chance but planted a
free header wide from a free-kick. De Bruyne hit the side-netting after a
Sterling cross was deflected, perhaps off Lucas Digne's hand.
Barca lost a second defender to injury when Pique limped off but
they went close again as Suarez's shot rebounded goalwards off Bravo's body and
the keeper clawed away.
That was a hairy moment for the Chilean, but nothing compared to
the horror which unfolded in the 53rd minute.
City had already had another escape after Samuel Umtiti headed wide
when Bravo came out of his area and miscued a pass straight to Suarez. Suarez
immediately attempted a lob and Bravo's instinctive jump to handle the shot was
only ever going to result in a red card.
The resulting reshuffle saw Nolito sacrificed and Willy
Caballero sent on in goal, while Pablo Zabaleta also went off injured during
the stoppage.
Caballero made an early save from Suarez but there was no
stemming the tide as Messi clipped in his second from the edge of the box just
after the hour.
Caballero was soon picking the ball out of the net again after
Gundogan miplaced a pass and Suarez surged forward to tee up Messi's hat-trick.
Ter Stegen made good saves from De Bruyne and Aleskandar Kolarov
and Barca also lost a man when Mathieu received a second yellow card for
fouling Sterling.
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