Red- hot Robert Lewandowski continued his goal scoring form with two goals as Barcelona earned a third consecutive Champions League win by thrashing Red Star Belgrade.
Lewandowski, 36, took his season tally to 19 goals in 16 games in all competitions to move within one goal of becoming only the third player in history to reach a century of Champions League goals, after Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
The Poland international’s reactive finish after Raphinha’s shot rebounded off the post restored Barcelona’s lead before half-time, with Inigo Martinez’s 13th-minute header cancelled out by Silas Katompa Mvumpa’s opener against the run of play.
Two quick-fire Barcelona goals early in the second half took the game away from Serbian champions Red Star, as Jules Kounde assisted Lewandowski and Raphinha before also teeing up Fermin Lopez late on.
There was still time for substitute Milson to score a late consolation for Red Star, who remain without a point in 35th place in the table.
Victory lifted Barcelona up to sixth in the new 36-team league format, and Lewandowski will have the chance to score his 100th Champions League goal at home to Brest later this month.
Elsewhere in France, Paris St-Germain’s winless run in the Champions League extended to three games as they were beaten at home by Atletico Madrid.
Angel Correa struck in the third minute of added time at the end of a hard-fought clash to snatch victory for the Spaniards.
PSG midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery, 18, became the youngest player in the competition’s history to start 15 games – and marked the occasion with an early opener.
It came in the 14th minute after Atletico defender Clement Lenglet suffered a lapse in concentration that allowed his former Barcelona team-mate Ousmane Dembele to steal the ball just inside the penalty area. The French winger laid the ball off to Zaire-Emery who beat Jan Oblak with a delicate dink.
The Spanish side equalised four minutes later when Nahuel Molina slammed the ball past Gianluigi Donnarumma from close range after their hosts failed to clear.
Diego Simeone’s side also pushed for a winner and substitute Correa got it in dramatic fashion with a low strike past Donnarumma.
PSG are 25th in the table with four points after four games, while Atletico are two places above them on six points.
On match day five PSG will travel to Germany to face Bayern Munich, while Atletico Madrid visit Sparta Prague.
