Barcelona beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-2 at Wembley Stadium on Wednesday evening to make it two wins from two in the Champions League.
The visitors were two goals to the good at Wembley Stadium at half time thanks to outside-of-the-box strikes fro Philippe Coutinho and Ivan Rakitic - the latter scoring a goal-of-the-season contender with his effort.
Harry Kane pulled one back early in the second half, only for Lionel Messi to regain his side's two-goal advantage, and the Argentinian would be required again late on after Erik Lamela added a second for Spurs.
Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Champions League clash between Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona at Wembley Stadium. The Lilywhites are seeking their first Group B points this evening following last month's late 2-1 loss at Inter Milan, while Barca can strengthen their grip on top spot after brushing aside PSV Eindhoven with a 4-0 win in their opener.
Since the opening round of fixtures in Group B these two sides have experienced contrasting fortunes, as Spurs have followed up three successive defeats with three wins on the spin - albeit with one of those coming on penalties - while Barca have drawn two and lost one. All of a sudden the Catalan giants are under a bit of pressure, as they return to the scene of their 2011 Champions League triumph.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: Lloris; Trippier, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Davies; Wanyama, Winks; Lucas, Lamela, Son; Kane
SUBS: Gazzaniga, Rose, Dier, Walker-Peters, Skipp, Sissoko, Llorente
Starting with a look at the home team, Mauricio Pochettino has made five changes to the side that saw off Huddersfield Town at the weekend. Two of those are enforced, as Mousa Dembele and Jan Vertonghen have joined Serge Aurier, Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli in the treatment room, opening up places in the side for Victor Wanyama and Ben Davies. The return of Hugo Lloris in goal is a boost, meanwhile, taking over from third-choice stopper Paulo Gazzaniga.
The other two changes see Eric Dier drop out and Harry Winks come in, while Danny Rose's place in the starting lineup is taken by Erik Lamela as Pochettino goes with four across the back. Toby Alderweireld will partner Davinson Sanchez, with Kieran Trippier and the returning Davies either side, and further forward Lamela has Son Heung-min and Lucas Moura for company behind star man Harry Kane. Spurs, remember, are without Dele and Eriksen tonight.
Tottenham may be without five first teamers tonight, but this is still a pretty strong side - albeit with question marks over the quality of options Pochettino can call upon from the bench. It says an awful lot that 18-year-old academy product Oliver Skipp is among the subs for the home team tonight, while question marks remain over the quality of Moussa Sissoko and Fernando Llorente. Rose and Dier, meanwhile, are also on the bench after dropping out of the XI.
BARCELONA TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: Ter Stegen; Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Alba; Arthur, Busquets, Rakitic; Coutinho, Suarez, Messi
SUBS: Cillessen, Denis Suarez, Dembele, Rafinha, El Haddadi, Vidal, Vermaelen
Switching focus to the visitors, Ernesto Valverde has recalled Sergio Busquets and Lionel Messi, as expected, after his gamble of leaving them out of his starting lineup against Athletic Bilbao backfired. Messi did come off the bench in that 1-1 draw and played a direct part in his side's late leveller, though the man who netted the goal - Munir El Haddadi - is back among the subs.
There is also a recall for Arthur, who comes in for just his second start - the other coming in La Liga - since joining the Spanish champions. Three changes in all made by Valverde, then, and the Barca boss looks as though he is going to field Philippe Coutinho in a more attacking role on the left of his front three, with Luis Suarez and star man Messi also involved from the off.
Sergio Roberto was forced off the field during the 1-1 draw with Athletic last time out and is therefore not involved tonight, so Nelson Semedo is used at right-back and Jordi Alba continues to operate down the left. With Samuel Umtiti also absent tonight through a mixture of injury and suspension, Clement Lenglet and Gerard Pique continue their partnership in the heart of defence. Amazingly, Pique is now considered the weak link in this Barca side.
Tottenham Hotspur make five changes from their 2-0 win over Huddersfield Town, including a return to the side for the first time in a month for skipper Hugo Lloris. It is a big night for Harry Winks in defensive midfield, in direct competition with Sergio Busquets and Ivan Rakitic, but he more than held his own in last season's double-header against Real Madrid. Barcelona, meanwhile, show three changes from their 1-1 draw with Athletic Bilbao.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS! These two sides have met on just two previous occasions, with both of those matches coming in the 1982 edition of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. Barcelona progressed through to the semi-finals thanks to a 1-0 win at Camp Nou, having played out a 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane in the first leg. More recently, the Catalan giants drew 1-1 with Chelsea on their most recent visit to England, a year on from drawing 1-1 with Manchester City.
Tottenham head into this huge match with some momentum on their side thanks to three wins in a row. Their 2-1 loss at San Siro on matchday one in the Champions League was a bitter pill to swallow, as they looked good value to take all three points with just five minutes of the match left to play. Inter Milan did not give up, though, and late goals from Mauro Icardi an Matias Vecino saw them snatch not just one point but all three.
That third loss on a spin, following on from defeats to Watford and Liverpool either side of the international break, saw questions asked of Pochettino for the first time during his spell in North London. The Argentine, who has strong links with Barca's city rivals Espanyol, was keen to absolve his players for any blame following the 2-1 loss against Inter, instead appearing to take out much of his frustration on the press for questioning his team selection.
Despite leaving a couple of key men back in London, Tottenham came within five minutes of an impressive result at San Siro. As it was, though, those late goals from Icardi and Vecino leaves them pointless and now in need of a big performance tonight if they are to avoid being cut adrift by the top two. Unlike a fortnight ago, Pochettino's hand has been forced a little more tonight with the injury absence of a handful of regulars.
Since that loss in Italy, Spurs have defeated Brighton & Hove Albion and Huddersfield Town away from home in the Premier League, as well as overcoming Watford in an EFL Cup tie staged in Milton Keynes. The records will show that the penalty victory over Watford was on home soil, but this will be Tottenham's first match at Wembley in a few weeks, and a look at the latest pictures of their new ground suggests that they will be playing here for at least another couple of months.
Even accounting for Barca's recent loss of form, victory tonight will be considered a shock result for Spurs. Three points will be the target for Pochettino ahead of back-to-back games agaist PSV Eindhoven, and the message from the manager to his players is to be brave, having proved 11 months ago that anything is possible when easing past Real Madrid. Spurs also beat Borussia Dortmund and APOEL here, in fact, to finish top of their group.
That 3-1 win over eventual champions Real Madrid was Tottenham's first victory over a Spanish opponent at the sixth attempt, and now they have reigning Spanish champions Barcelona in their sights. The Lilywhites may have looked strong in what was a tough group in 2017-18, but they would meet their match in Juventus in the first knockout round - some reward for finishing top! A 2-2 draw at the Allianz Stadium was followed up with a 2-1 loss here to end their European adventure for another year.
There was no shame in losing to Juventus, of course, but it was clear to see just how disappointed Pochettino was after that 4-3 aggregate defeat earlier this year. Spurs battled back from two goals down in Turin and were in control of the first leg, before opening the scoring in the second leg and once again bossing possession. A momentary lapse in concentration allowed European experts Juve to pounce, however, and all the hard work from the group stage was undone.
Spurs reached the quarter-finals of the competition in 2011 and have now competed in the group phase four times, including in each of the last three seasons. They have overcome some of Europe's finest sides during that time, none more so than three-in-a-row champions Real Madrid last season, so Barcelona will certainly not be taking them lightly tonight. Indeed, the starting lineup fielded by Pochettino tonight is not too dissimilar to the one from the 3-1 victory over Los Blancos a year ago.
Tottenham Hotspur fell to a 2-1 loss away at Inter Milan in their opening Champions League fixture, already leaving them with plenty of work to do if they are to match last season's achievement in booking a place in the knockout phase. The Lilywhites have a tough run of fixtures after the international break, with Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea all to come in the Premier League, but for now all focus is on getting their European campaign back on track.
In complete contrast to Tottenham, who have won three in a row in all competitions since their opening Group B opener against Inter, Barcelona have failed to win any of their matches. The Spanish champions brushed aside PSV Eindhoven a fortnight ago thanks to superstar forward Lionel Messi's eighth Champions League hat-trick, which only added to the feel-good factor around Camp Nou at the time.
That win made it six in a row to begin the season, but two point from the last nine on offer in La Liga since then has seen that bubble well and truly burst. Barca drew at home to neighbours Girona and were then humbled away at bottom side Leganes, before being held to a 1-1 draw by Athletic Bilbao at the weekend. Valverde has had to accept a share of the blame for his team selections, most recently leaving out Messi and Busquets from the start against former club Athletic.
Incredibly, despite adding just two points to their tally from what can be considered three pretty straightforward fixtures, Barcelona still lead the way at the top of La Liga on goal difference. That is because closest challengers Real Madrid have also stuttered, losing heavily to Sevilla and then playing out a stalemate with fellow title challengers Atletico Madrid, so Valverde has been let off ever so slightly... for now!
Extending that run to four games without a win would be borderline disastrous by Barcelona's standards, though, and they have a pretty tough run ahead. After taking on Tottenham at Wembley tonight, Valverde must prepare his side for a trip to Valencia at the weekend. Then, after the two-week international break, there are three home games in a row against Sevilla, Inter Milan and Real Madrid. This is already looking like a defining period in the season for the Catalans.
Resting players has been a familiar theme this term as far as Valverde is concerned, with Gerard Pique the only ever-present outfield player for Barca so far. Tellingly, perhaps, Pique has been directly for fault for three goals in his side's last three matches. Either way, the constant rotation is not helping the Catalans, although Valverde will tell you that it is all part of his plan to challenge for all three cups come the business end of the season.
Why? Well, Barca may have dominated the domestic landscape, winning La Liga three times in four years and the Copa del Rey in each of those seasons, but for three years in a row now they have crashed out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage. That is a disastrous run for a club of Barca's stature, made all the more strange when you consider some of the scorelines in those last-eight ties since they last lifted the trophy in 2015.
It is in the away games Barcelona tend to struggle, most notably last season when losing 3-0 at Roma following a 4-1 first-leg win. That came 12 months on from a 4-0 away defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, and they have also lost 3-0 at Juventus and 2-0 at Atletico Madrid. In fact, Barca have won just three of their last 10 European matches on the road and have lost four of their most recent nine.
The group stage never tends to be a problem for them, however, having topped the standings in each of the last 11 editions of the Champions League en route to the quarter-finals or better. After winning the competition three times in five years, though, they have since gone all the way once in the subsequent seven years. They are fast becoming an enigma of sorts on the continent; Valverde will certainly hope that his rotation policy pays off in the long run.
With kickoff in the English capital now just a couple of minutes away, let us check out some pre-match thoughts from both camps.
Mauricio Pochettino: "The circumstances this season are so tough. Look what is going to happen in the Carabao Cup. We are going to play Monday in Wembley against Manchester City and then we must play on Wednesday or Thursday, and then we must play Saturday and Tuesday in the Champions League. That is completely unfair for a team that wants to win some titles. The ambition is to win [trophies], but reality maybe and dream and perception are not in a good balance today. The most important now is day by day and game by game. The most important today is to be focused on Barcelona and try to give our best and try to win, and then we will see what happens at the end of the season."
Ernesto Valverde: "In the last week, we have had problems with our results and you can analyse each one of them. We want to improve every day. When you don't get results, you always want to look for reasons. It is because of a mistake or the opponent doing well, but we want to make up for that now in an important game. We all feel good, we know how things are. Even when you win everything, there are some discerning voices. Everyone here knows the demands on us and we know that we have to live with that. You should always expect to come up against the best version of your opponent. We know that they have injuries, but we expect the best from them and we are aware of their strength in attack and defence. When the draw came out, we expected tough games and we know this one is going to be very hard and difficult for us."
KICKOFF: Barcelona, who have three players in their starting ranks from the side that lifted the Champions League here in 2011, are aiming to make it two wins from two in Group B. Tottenham Hotspur, meanwhile, are aiming to put their first points on the board.
GOAL! TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 0-1 BARCELONA (PHILIPPE COUTINHO)
Well that didn't take long, did it?! Barcelona open the scoring inside just two minutes here through former Liverpool man Philippe Coutinho. Lionel Messi played the ball through for Jordi Alba, who took Hugo Lloris and Kieran Trippier out of the game and pulled the ball back for Coutinho to fire into an unguarded net from the edge of the box.
On a matchday littered with early strikes, it will be interesting to see how Tottenham respond to that setback. Poor goalkeeping from Hugo Lloris, it has to be said, as he raced out of his goal and got nowhere near Jordi Alba. Kieran Trippier's positioning also has to be questioned.
Not since March 2009 have Barcelona gone four matches without a victory, and the early signs here are promising. They look as though they will end their winless run tonight, as they hold a one-goal lead and are looking comfortable on the ball.
That goal was timed at 92 seconds - just a minute-and-a-half required for Barcelona to open the scoring at a ground that they have come to love playing at. The move that led to the goal was as straightforward as you will see this week, but effective nonetheless.
There has not really been a great deal of action since Philippe Coutinho's goal. That remains the only shot of the contest so far, but Tottenham are now starting to enjoy the odd spell on the ball and will look to get at their opponents a little more.
Spurs are starting to grow into the match now; they have been in control of the ball for a good few minutes. They are not really getting anywhere, though, with Barca happy to sit back and soak up some pressure for the time being.
Surprised Barca are sitting off as much as they are. The visitors made the dream start through Philippe Coutinho's 18-yard strike 93 seconds in, but since then they have allowed their opponents to control the game in terms of possession.
YELLOW CARD! Lucas Moura was played in behind down the right, but he could not pull the ball back for a teammate. That was similar to the move that led to Barca's goal - on that occasion Hugo Lloris was left stranded after racing off his line when he should have stayed put. Alderweireld sees yellow for a shove on Coutinho.
Nearly a quarter of the match played and Philippe Coutinho's goal remains the only serious shot of the match at either end. Spurs have seen a lot more of the ball in the opposition half, but they are not really doing a lot with it.
The only other attempt so far came via the head of Clement Lenglet, who could not keep the ball down when rising to meet Lionel Messi's deep free kick. A nearly moment for Tottenham, as Harry Kane would have been in if he had adjusted his feet quicker.
It has been a quiet night elsewhere on the continent this evening - this clash at Wembley Stadium is the only game with a goal so far. Sergio Busquets is currently down receiving some treatment after being caught on the knee. A reminder that Philippe Coutinho's second-minute goal separates the two sides.
SAVE! This first half is whizzing by. Twenty-five minutes now on the clock and Tottenham are continuing to probe away, as Harry Kane's long-range shot is easily dealt with by Ter Stegen. Barcelona look far more threatening when they move through the gears and commit bodies forward.
The ball did dip in front of Marc-Andre ter Stegen from that Harry Kane shot, but it was pretty routine stuff. Still, a first shot of the evening for Tottenham and a sign that they will present more of a threat as this match goes on.
GOAL! TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 0-2 BARCELONA (IVAN RAKITIC)
This is an unbelievable strike form Ivan Rakitic to double Barcelona's lead! The move looked to be dead when Philippe Coutinho mishit his shot, but he somehow kept it in play and set up Rakitic on the edge of the box in the process. The technique was incredible, lifting both feet off the ground and sending the ball flying in off the post from outside the area.
SHOT! Lionel Messi is bossing things from deep tonight. His latest sublime pass is nicely weighted for Luis Suarez to latch on to, but his shot was struck right across goal. Barca are in cruise control at the moment thanks to goals from Coutinho and Rakitic.
DISALLOWED GOAL! We are being treated to some brilliant finishes tonight, although this volley from Son Heung-min will not count as the referee had already blown for a handball infringement against Kieran Trippier - correct call. Lamela's cross then hit Semedo and was kept out brilliantly by Ter Stegen.
SAVE! Lionel Messi's first-time finish is right at Hugo Lloris, who makes the save. This match has become incredibly open since Barcelona added a second goal to their tally, with both teams coming close to netting. This one is not finishing 2-0!
SAVE! Luis Suarez peeled off his man but could not quite bring down the 40-yard pass into his path. Lionel Messi went one better by getting a shot on target, but it did not have enough power or precision to get the beating of Hugo Lloris.
Less than five minutes to go until half time and Spurs are desperately seeking a route into the match. This Group B tie is not over just yet, but a third goal for Barcelona will certainly kill it off. This has been a good display from the visitors.
YELLOW CARD! Victor Wanyama joins Toby Alderweireld in seeing a yellow card for his strong challenge on Ivan Rakitic. That came after a promising Spurs attack fizzled out when Kieran Trippier's cross was cleared by Arthur. Harry Kane is dropping very deep at the moment.
YELLOW CARD! Erik Lamela catches Sergio Busquets with his arm after being left frustrated by Barcelona's quick passing, earning himself a booking. The home side cannot get the ball off their opponents, and it looks as though they will go into the interval three goals down.
GROUP B UPDATE! Radja Nainggolan has just scored for Inter Milan to draw them level away at PSV Eindhoven in the other Group B fixture taking place tonight. At Wembley, meanwhile, Barca are on top as we enter the final minute of added-one time.
HALF TIME: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 0-2 BARCELONA
Barcelona take a commanding 2-0 lead into the half-time interval at Wembley Stadium thanks to goals from Philippe Coutinho and Ivan Rakitic. The visitors have been dominant and are well on course to end their recent winless run, but Tottenham Hotspur will certainly not throw in the towel just yet.
Ernesto Valverde made a big call by bringing in Arthur for Arturo Vidal - one of three changes from the draw with Athletic Bilbao at the weekend - and it paid off as Barca dictated the flow of the game for large parts. Just 92 seconds were needed for the hosts to edge in front, as Lionel Messi played the ball through for Jordi Alba, who took Hugo Lloris and Kieran Trippier out of the game and pulled the ball back for Philippe Coutinho to fire into an unguarded net from the edge of the box.
Aiming to avoid a fourth game without victory for the first time since 2009, Barca continued to look threatening and had themselves a second goal before the half-hour mark. An impressive team move looked to have fizzled out when Coutinho mishit his shot, but the Brazilian managed to keep the ball in play and set up Ivan Rakitic 25 yards out for Barca's 600th goal in the European Cup.
Rakitic lifted both feet off the ground to connect with Coutinho's pass, sending the ball flying past returning Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris via the inside of the post. Tottenham did enjoy the odd moment on top in the first half, getting a shot on target through Harry Kane - who was dropping progressively deeper as things words on - and seeing Marc-Andre ter Stegen produce a big save to stop Erik Lamela's cross from deflecting into the net off Nelson Semedo.
Messi was bossing things from a deeper position, though, and Barca could easily have added a third to their tally before the break, as Luis Suarez fired across goal when picked out by Messi, and the Argentinian forward had a shot of his own saved by Lloris. Not game over just yet, then, but Tottenham really do have their work cut out with 45 minutes to play.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR SUBS: Gazzaniga, Rose, Dier, Walker-Peters, Skipp, Sissoko, Llorente
BARCELONA SUBS: Cillessen, Denis Suarez, Dembele, Rafinha, El Haddadi, Vidal, Vermaelen
KICKOFF: Barcelona get us back under way at Wembley Stadium in this Group B fixture. Neither manager has made a change at the interval, so it is as you were in that regard. Barca have by far the stronger of the two benches, and we will likely see a change or two come the hour.
OFF THE POST! So close to a third Barcelona goal, as Lionel Messi does what he does best by carrying the ball a good 30 yards. Rather than picking out the bottom corner, as he so often does, the Argentinian forward instead picked out the post.
Tottenham fans are encouraged by the last couple of minutes, culminating in their side winning a corner. The delivery was not a bad one, but the visitors managed to get the ball clear. There is a third goal in this game - should Spurs get it then it is very much game on.
GOAL! TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1-2 BARCELONA (HARRY KANE)
It is indeed game on at Wembley Stadium! Thirty-two seconds after Lionel Messi hit the same post from the same position for a second time tonight, Harry Kane tucked the ball past Ter Stegen to get his side off the mark. The striker had so much to do, cutting inside his man and curling the ball out of Ter Stegen's reach.
Spurs somehow avoided going a third goal behind, with Lionel Messi twice hitting the post, and the mood around Wembley Stadium is now completely different thanks to that Harry Kane goal. That is now 10 goals in 12 Champions League outings for him.
GOAL! TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1-3 BARCELONA (LIONEL MESSI)
Well that was short-lived! As soon as they got themselves back into the match, Tottenham concede for a third time to knock the wind out of their sails. Lionel Messi, the game's best player - surprise surprise! - guided Jordi Alba's cross into the bottom corner, having also played a key part in the build-up.
YELLOW CARD! Brazilian midfielder Arthur is booked for charging into Harry Winks. Eric Dier has been brought on for Victor Wanyama - a change that Pochettino was looking to make before Barcelona's third goal. This match remains incredibly open.
SAVE! Unfortunately for Tottenham, Lionel Messi is having another stormer tonight. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner again sends Luis Suarez away, but the Uruguayan's shot did not have enough power behind it to get the better of Hugo Lloris.
It has been a lively opening 20 minutes to the second half to say the least. Barely a chance to breathe, with Lionel Messi twice hitting the post before netting, but only after Harry Kane had temporarily dragged his side back into the game.
GOAL! TOTTENHAM 2-3 BARCELONA (ERIK LAMELA)
Tottenham are back in it again - what a match this is turning out to be! Erik Lamela bags his first Champions League goal for the club, courtesy of a heavy deflection off Clement Lenglet's body to lift his long-range shot over Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
CHANCE! Hugo Lloris rescues one of his teammates but then again leaves himself in no man's land when racing out. The ball broke for Lionel Messi, but he could not tuck the ball home as Toby Alderweireld pounced on the loose ball. Moussa Sissoko is now on and had blasted over the bar from his first chance.
Tottenham's gamble to keep the game wide open has paid off. It could so easily have been 3-0 and then 4-1, but as it is just one goal separates the sides with 18 minutes still left to play. The home fans are now right behind their side.
It was Son Heung-min who made way for Sissoko, incidentally, and the Frenchman should have done better with that aforementioned shot. Sergio Busquets was also cautioned a couple of minutes ago for tripping Erik Lamela on the break.
YELLOW CARD! A sixth yellow card of the evening, this time for Harry Kane after lunging in on Gerard Pique when the centre-back was attempting to clear the ball up the field. Pique is in a bit of pain after that and is currently receiving treatment.
Kieran Trippier drilled a cross into the middle and, after a little scare, Nelson Semedo managed to clear the ball away. A little over 10 minutes to go and Ernesto Valverde has still yet to make a change, despite having a number of talented options on the bench.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR SUB! Mauricio Pochettino makes his third and final change, bringing on tall striker Fernando Llorente for Erik Lamela. More height and strength in that forward line now, as Spurs go all out for a leveller.
SAVE! Barcelona, unlike before Erik Lamela's goal, are no longer looking like scoring when they get on the ball. Valverde will be keen to hear that full-time whistle now, because it is Tottenham who are looking the more likely to net, as Lucas Moura's shot down the middle is well handled by Ter Stegen.
BARCELONA SUB! The best two chances at 3-2 have fallen Tottenham's way - Sissoko skying over the bar from a good position and Lucas Moura's shot being kept out by Ter Stegen a couple of minutes ago. Rafinha is now on for Philippe Coutinho.
CLOSE! This looked destined to end in the back of the net from Lucas Moura. The shot was well struck, only to hit Clement Lenglet and end wide of the target. From the corner, Harry Kane attacked Kieran Trippier's delivery but could not find the target, as Lenglet was there to block the ball.
SAVE! Toby Alderweireld gets on the end of Tottenham's latest corner, but it was nothing more than a routine stop for Ter Stegen. Arturo Vidal is now on for Arthur in a change Valverde probably should have made 10 minutes ago. Two minutes to go here!
GOAL! TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2-4 BARCELONA (LIONEL MESSI)
Hugo Lloris's pass puts his side in trouble and it is then left to Lionel Messi to tuck the ball past the Frenchman. This has been a brave showing from the Lilywhites, but that should seal the three points for Barca.
Thomas Vermaelen is on for Sergio Busquets for the final 60 seconds or so. This has been a thrilling contest, and on the balance of the 90 minutes Barca are deserving winners. A return to winning ways for Valverde after a tough week or so.
FULL TIME: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2-4 BARCELONA
What a game that was! Six goals in all and plenty of entertainment throughout. Lionel Messi proved the difference in the end, but full credit to Tottenham Hotspur for giving it a right go. They ultimately have no points to show for it, though, and they find themselves pointless after two Champions League matches, whereas Barcelona are top of Group B on six points from six.
That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events from Wembley Stadium. An on-the-whistle report can be found by clicking here, and be sure to join us again tomorrow night for updates from the Europa League games involving Arsenal and Chelsea. See you then!
