• Barcelona's Lionel Messi looks broken after the 8-2 defeat by Bayern Munich. Reuters
    Barcelona's Lionel Messi looks broken after the 8-2 defeat by Bayern Munich. Reuters
  • Lionel Messi leaves the pitch after the 8-2 humiliation. AP
    Lionel Messi leaves the pitch after the 8-2 humiliation. AP
  • Thomas Muller celebrates giving Bayern a 1-0 lead. Reuters
    Thomas Muller celebrates giving Bayern a 1-0 lead. Reuters
  • Lionel Messi after the match. Reuters
    Lionel Messi after the match. Reuters
  • Bayern Munich celebrate. EPA
    Bayern Munich celebrate. EPA
  • Barcelona star Lionel Messi's future at the club will now be under scrutiny. Reuters
    Barcelona star Lionel Messi's future at the club will now be under scrutiny. Reuters
  • Bayern Munich players celebrate after the astonishing win. EPA
    Bayern Munich players celebrate after the astonishing win. EPA
  • Barcelona coach Quique Setien. EPA
    Barcelona coach Quique Setien. EPA
  • Bayern Munich's David Alaba scores an own goal to make the score 1-1. Reuters
    Bayern Munich's David Alaba scores an own goal to make the score 1-1. Reuters
  • Croatian midfielder Ivan Perisic (L) celebrates putting Bayern 2-1 ahead. AFP
    Croatian midfielder Ivan Perisic (L) celebrates putting Bayern 2-1 ahead. AFP
  • Serge Gnabry (L) after making the score 1-3. EPA
    Serge Gnabry (L) after making the score 1-3. EPA
  • Thomas Mueller celebrates after making it 1-4. Reuters
    Thomas Mueller celebrates after making it 1-4. Reuters
  • Luis Suarez, right, gives Barca brief hope after pulling a goal back, 2-4. PA
    Luis Suarez, right, gives Barca brief hope after pulling a goal back, 2-4. PA
  • Joshua Kimmich makes it 2-5. EPA
    Joshua Kimmich makes it 2-5. EPA
  • Robert Lewandowski on target for 2-6. Reuters
    Robert Lewandowski on target for 2-6. Reuters
  • Bayern Munich's Philippe Coutinho gets in on the act, and it's 2-7. Reuters
    Bayern Munich's Philippe Coutinho gets in on the act, and it's 2-7. Reuters
  • Coutinho again, and the Barca nightmare is over, final score 2-8. AP
    Coutinho again, and the Barca nightmare is over, final score 2-8. AP

Lionel Messi's heaviest defeats: Barcelona's 8-2 loss to Bayern is star's worst by some way


Ian Oxborrow
  • English
  • Arabic

The look on Lionel Messi's face during and after Barcelona's 8-2 hammering to Bayern Munich in the Champions League said it all.

Dejected, embarrassed and shocked, it was a result which will live long in the memory, as Thomas Mueller-inspired Bayern ran rampant with a late double from Philippe Coutinho and yet another goal from Robert Lewandowski.

Thankfully for Messi, it hasn't been an experience that has occurred frequently during his career, with Barcelona usually handing out the beatings to teams across Spain and wider Europe.

But he hasn't been completely spared. Here's a look at the heaviest defeats he's suffered during his glittering career:

El Clasico nightmare

Lionel Messi of Barcelona stands dejected backdropped by celebrating Real Madrid players at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on May 7, 2008. Getty Images
Lionel Messi of Barcelona stands dejected backdropped by celebrating Real Madrid players at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on May 7, 2008. Getty Images

The context couldn't get much worse than this. If a 4-1 defeat to Real Madrid on May 7, 2008 wasn't miserable enough, Messi and his teammates also had to deal with giving their fierce rivals a guard of honour before the match having won the La Liga title.

Xavi was sent off for a second yellow card and Messi went goal-less with Thierry Henry netting the consolation.

This wasn't the only time Messi has been involved in a 4-1 La Liga defeat.

They were beaten by that scoreline at Celta Vigo in September 2015, despite having the dream strike force of Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar, who netted. Nolito, Iago Aspas (two) and John Guidetti netted for Celta.

This result came just weeks after Messi and Barcelona were on the end of another rout - losing 4-0 to Bilbao in the Spanish Super Cup.

Champions League carnage

Liverpool celebrate after scoring their fourth goal during the UEFA Champions league semi-final second leg at Anfield on May 7, 2019. AFP
Liverpool celebrate after scoring their fourth goal during the UEFA Champions league semi-final second leg at Anfield on May 7, 2019. AFP

You don't have to go too far back to find humiliation for Messi in the Champions League - just turn the clock back to Anfield and Liverpool in 2019 when Barcelona were beaten 4-0 in the semi-final second leg.

The moment of Messi-esque invention by Trent Alexander-Arnold for Divock Origi's late fourth goal has been replayed time and again.

Messi said afterwards: "It was one of the worst experiences in my career.”

Prior to that there was a 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint Germain in 2017, and another 4-0 scoreline to Bayern Munich in 2013 when Thomas Mueller again put them to the sword with a double.

Argentina's worst defeat in 60 years

Lionel Messi reacts as Bolivia's Ronald Rivero (left) and Ronald Garcia (right) celebrate a goal during their 2010 World Cup qualifying match in La Paz on April 1, 2009. Reuters
Lionel Messi reacts as Bolivia's Ronald Rivero (left) and Ronald Garcia (right) celebrate a goal during their 2010 World Cup qualifying match in La Paz on April 1, 2009. Reuters

Messi hasn't been exempt from heavy defeats on the international stage, despite representing one of the most successful nations.

In April 2009, Argentina, led by Diego Maradona, headed to La Paz for a World Cup qualifier. The location is notoriously tricky for the away side because of the effects of altitude, but a 6-1 defeat was still a major shock and was Messi's heaviest defeat until the Bayern debacle on Friday.

Striker Joaquin Botero helped himself to a hat-trick, while Angel Di Maria was sent off for a strong Argentina side which included Carlos Tevez, Javier Mascherano and Javier Zanetti.

Messi and Argentina also lost 4-0 to Germany in the 2010 World Cup, with that man again, Thomas Mueller, on the scoresheet.

_______________

Barca stars jeered on return to team hotel

  • Lionel Messi arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
    Lionel Messi arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
  • Barcelona's president Josep Maria Bartomeu arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
    Barcelona's president Josep Maria Bartomeu arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
  • Barcelona's Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
    Barcelona's Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
  • Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
    Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
  • Barcelona's Croatian midfielder Ivan Rakitic arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
    Barcelona's Croatian midfielder Ivan Rakitic arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
  • Barcelona's Spanish defender Gerard Pique arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
    Barcelona's Spanish defender Gerard Pique arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
  • Barcelona's Dutch midfielder Frenkie De Jong arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
    Barcelona's Dutch midfielder Frenkie De Jong arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
  • Barcelona's French forward Antoine Griezmann arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
    Barcelona's French forward Antoine Griezmann arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
  • Barcelona's German goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
    Barcelona's German goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
  • Barcelona's Portuguese defender Nelson Semedo arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
    Barcelona's Portuguese defender Nelson Semedo arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
  • Barcelona's Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
    Barcelona's Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
  • Barcelona's Spanish defender Gerard Pique arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
    Barcelona's Spanish defender Gerard Pique arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
  • Barcelona's French defender Clement Lenglet arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
    Barcelona's French defender Clement Lenglet arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
  • Barcelona's Spanish midfielder Sergio Busquets arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
    Barcelona's Spanish midfielder Sergio Busquets arrives at the team's hotel. AFP
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