PEP GUARDIOLA may be in the process of building a fine Barcelona replica with Manchester City, but when faced with the real deal Wednesday, it was painfully clear that there isn’t yet a substitute for Barca’s ball-wizardry machine. Or indeed for Lionel Messi.

    The little magician scored a hat trick to inflict a humbling defeat on his former mentor Guardiola, leading Barcelona to an emphatic 4-0 victory over City in the Champions League.

    Messi sped through City’s defense and around former Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo before giving the hosts a 17th-minute lead in a Group C match that both teams finished with 10 men.

    It only got worse for Bravo, who was sent off in the 53rd minute for using his hands to block a shot outside the area after his poor pass gifted the ball to Luis Suarez.

    Messi struck again in the 61st and 69th to take his total to 89 goals in Europe’s top club competition. The Argentina forward is second only to Cristiano Ronaldo, who has scored 98.

    Barcelona was reduced to 10 men after substitute Jeremy Mathieu was shown a second yellow card in the 73rd, but Neymar still rounded off the win from a pass by Messi. The Brazil striker scored moments after he had missed a penalty that Messi had earned.

    “We know Barcelona. When they arrive (in the area) their strikers punish you,” Guardiola said. “It’s October. We have lost a match. It’s not a quarterfinal or semifinal. Now we have to analyze what happened and rest ... We are in the process (of growth).”

    Guardiola lost for the second time upon returning to Camp Nou where he established himself as one of the world’s top managers by leading Barcelona to 14 titles from 2008-12. The former Barcelona player coached Bayern Munich when the German side lost 3-0 here in the Champions League semifinals two years ago, when Messi scored twice.

    After winning its first 10 matches under Guardiola, City has now gone winless in four games in all competitions.

    Barcelona extended its unbeaten run at home in European competition to 18 matches.

    A third win in as many games increased the five-time European champion’s control of the group. Barcelona has nine points, while second-place City stays on four. Borussia Moenchengladbach is third with three points after beating Celtic 2-0 in Glasgow.

    Meanwhile, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez showed why their value to Arsenal is priceless as the peerless duo inspired a 6-0 thrashing of Bulgarian minnow Ludogorets. Bayern Munich also dispelled any doubts about its commitment by ending a three-match winless run with a comfortable 4-1 victory over PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League.

    (SD-Agencies)