In Group H's other match, goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Antonio Cassano guided AC Milan to a comfortable 2-0 victory over Viktoria Plzen.

European champions Barcelona managed 23 efforts on goal in their rout of BATE but were aided by some poor defending from the Belarusian side.

The Catalans dominated from the outset and, after Messi had come close with a free-kick, they went ahead when Aleksandr Volodko turned Dani Alves’ cross into his own goal on 19 minutes.

Pedro made it 2-0 within three minutes when he took advantage of some atrocious marking to climb above three defenders and head past goalkeeper Aliaksandr Gutor from David Villa's excellent cross.

Gutor’s night somehow turned even worse when he dropped the ball at Messi’s feet seven minutes before the break, presenting a gift to the worst possible beneficiary.

At 3-0, Barca were cruising and the home side looked nothing but dejected.

Messi fired into the side netting four minutes after the break, but could not be denied for too long and he lashed an unstoppable drive past Gutor from just inside the area after 55 minutes to make it 4-0.

That goal brought him level with Hungarian great Laszlo Kubala on 194 goals for the La Liga club, second on the club’s all time list - an incredible achievement at the age of 24.

Villa rounded off a fantastic night with the fifth a minute from time, latching onto Thiago's cross and firing past a helpless Gutor.

In Italy, a penalty from Ibrahimovic and a delicate Cassano chip was enough for the Serie A holders to take all three points.

Massimiliano Allegri's side seemed buoyant with the return of Ibrahimovic to their ranks, and the talismanic Swede was central to virtually every attack at the Czech outfit's goal.

However, it was Plzen who had the game's first chance and it needed a save out of the top drawer from Christian Abbiati to deny Vaclav Pilar's bullet header inside the third minute.

But, not surprisingly, the Serie A club began to dominate the possession, and the sides' contrasting playing styles made for a fascinating state of affairs.

Milan came close to a breakthrough from the feet of Ibrahimovic, but his powerful strike was denied by Marek Cech from close range.

Pavel Horvath blazed a free shot at goal for Plzen over inside the Milan box near the end of the first half, with Abbiati seemingly in no-man's land.

Milan broke the deadlock on 53 minutes when Marian Cisovsky's handball led to a penalty, which Ibrahimovic duly stepped up and netted.

The Italian champions doubled their lead through a counter-attack 13 minutes later, as Ibrahimovic once again led the way with an inch-perfect through ball to Cassano.

He finished with aplomb, lifting the ball over an onrushing Cech.

Plzen managed efforts late in the match but the wall of Alessandro Nesta and Thiago Silva stood firm as Milan earned their first three points of the campaign to go level on four with Barcelona.

The European champions are ahead of Milan on goal difference, with Plzen in third, a point ahead of BATE Borisov in last place.