Manager Ernesto Valverde hailed Lionel Messi as "incredible" after the Argentinian marked his 700th appearance for Barcelona with his 613th goal for the club. Messi also provided two assists – and was booked for diving – as Barca beat Borussia Dortmund 3-1 to reach the last 16 of the Champions League. England winger Jadon Sancho scored a consolation for the visitors, who remain level on points with Inter Milan ahead of the final round of group games. Dortmund are at home to Slavia Prague on December 10 with Inter Milan hosting Barcelona at the San Siro. Messi set up Luis Suarez and Antoine Griezmann either side of his own goal and Valverde believes his relationship with the French attacker can only improve. "A lot is said about their connection, especially when one of them scores," Valverde said. "Good players always understand each other. "For example, Luis [Suarez] and Leo understand each other to perfection because they've spent a long time playing together. Messi and Griezmann will understand each other better with time. "We have to find the right timing for this. With time, it will be much better. What can I say about Messi ... he was incredible. "We're in the most difficult group in the competition and we've qualified with a game to spare for another year. "We've suffered a lot, but it means a lot to us. Apart from the last few minutes, the team played a great game." Messi is only the second Barcelona player to reach 700 games after Xavi Hernandez, who made 767 appearances. No one in the history of the club has won more than Messi, who has 34 trophies to his name. Messi’s goal in the 33rd minute let him set another milestone by becoming the first player to score against 34 different opponents in the Champions League. He also went close to another when he curled a free kick off the crossbar. Messi has 114 career goals in the tournament. “Seven hundred matches for Barcelona is not normal and neither is what [Messi] did on the pitch,” said goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Winger Ousmane Dembele had to be replaced with a thigh problem in the 25th minute, the latest in a long line of injuries the former Dortmund player has picked up since moving to Spain three years ago. After replacing Dembele, Griezmann started a move that led to Barcelona’s 29th-minute opener. Messi continued it when, instead of firing on goal as the defense expected, he slipped a pass through for the unmarked Suarez to drive between the legs of goalkeeper Roman Burki. Suarez became the playmaker after taking advanatage of Dortmund defender Mats Hummels' poor pass. He found Messi all alone and he slotted a left-footed shot into the far corner of the net to double the lead. “Today, we take away the feeling that we have played a great match,” said Suarez, who said he and Messi have now become a well-oiled machine after years of playing alongside each other. “I have said many times that given the way we get along together, and all the many matches we have played together over the years, I know when he starts one of his runs where I should be to receive the ball." Dortmund manager Lucien Favre sent on Sancho to try to spark his team’s attack. But he would only get his goal after Messi had helped Griezmann put the result beyond doubt. Messi played a perfectly weighted pass to Griezmann on a counter-attack in the 67th. The France forward did the rest by firing a low shot past Burki. Sancho’s goal 10 minutes later was the one moment of class from Dortmund. The English forward cut back before firing into the top corner. The 19-year-old then forced Ter Stegen to produce a save at full-stretch and redirect another of his shots onto the post. “We were not good enough to beat Barcelona today. We only created three or four real chances,” Hummels said. “In top form, Messi is the best footballer I have ever seen. Period.”
