Ilkay Gundogan scored twice as Manchester City rallied from an early deficit to defeat Barcelona 3-1 in the Champions League at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.
City had strong penalty shouts waved away in the 11th minute when Raheem Sterling seemed to have been tripped by Samuel Umtiti but was instead booked for diving.
Barcelona's opener came from a textbook counter-attack following Sergio Aguero's blocked shot. Messi corralled the loose ball and played a pass over the top to Neymar, who held it up on the wing before passing back to Messi at the edge of the City box to score.
But City were level against the run of play on 39 minutes when Sergi Roberto gave the ball away in front of his own box. Aguero intercepted and passed to Sterling, who crossed for Gundogan to equalise.
The tables were turned and Pep Guardiola's side nearly took the lead twice either side of half-time. But they took their chance after 51 minutes when De Bruyne beat Marc-Andre ter Stegen with a stunning free kick curled over the wall.
There was end-to-end action as De Bruyne was inches from tapping in for City, only for Barcelona's Andre Gomes to strike the underside of the bar moments later and De Bruyne to again fire narrowly wide.
City's third goal came in the 74th minute when a Jesus Navas cross bounced back off of the diving Aguero at close range, and though Barcelona appealed that it had struck his arm, the ball fell for Gundogan to score his second.
Barcelona still lead the group on nine points, with City also in good position to advance on seven.
Borussia Monchengladbach are three points further back after being held to a 1-1 home draw by Celtic.
Gladbach scored the opener in the 32nd minute when Thorgan Hazard crossed from the edge of the box for Lars Stindl to score on the volley.
Celtic were facing elimination but, with a quarter of an hour to play, Julian Korb was sent off after bringing down Moussa Dembele, who scored from the penalty spot to level.
Arsenal quickly fought back from a two-goal deficit before Mesut Ozil found a late winner in a 3-2 victory at Ludogorets Razgrad as the Gunners advanced from Group A.
The Bulgarian side, who lost 6-0 in the reverse fixture, took a shock lead after 12 minutes from a set piece, Wanderson crossing for Jonathan Cafu to get ahead of Shkodran Mustafi and volley home.
And it got worse for Arsenal three minutes later when Cafu turned Kieran Gibbs and crossed for Claudiu Keseru to score at the near post. But the Gunners got a goal back in the 20th minute, Ozil providing the goal for Granit Xhaka.
And three minutes before the break Arsenal were level when Aaron Ramsey was given space on the wing and found Olivier Giroud to head in the equaliser.
The Londoners had few clear chances for a winner until the 88th minute, when Ozil stayed onside to receive a long pass, chipped the ball over the keeper and ran around two defenders to score the winner into an open net.
Arsene Wenger's men lead the group on goal difference ahead of Paris Saint-Germain,who also advanced with a late 2-1 win at FC Basel.
PSG scored shortly before half-time when a corner fell to Thomas Meunier to nudge goalwards and Blaise Matuidi pounced to score.
But Basel were level thanks to Luca Zuffi, who couldn't have expected to score when he turned and shot from 40 yards but saw the ball loop over Alphonse Areola and into the net.
PSG were assured of advancing even with a draw, but Serey Die was sent off for a second booking in the 84th minute and Meunier delivered the winner with a slicing volley deep in stoppage time.
Robert Lewandowski scored twice as Bayern Munich fought back to win 2-1 at PSV Eindhoven, advancing and eliminating their hosts in Group D.
PSV took the lead on 14 minutes after Santiago Arias crossed for Davy Propper, whose header was saved but fell for Arias to tap in the rebound. Replays showed he was offside, but the goal stood.
Bayern had more to complain about when Lewandowski appeared to be hauled down from behind following a corner, his header clanging off the post.
But the German champions were handed a lifeline on 34 minutes when Andres Guardado was adjudged to have handled Joshua Kimmich's soft shot and Lewandowski converted the penalty.
And Bayern were in front after 74 minutes when substitute Douglas Costa did well on the wing to play through David Alaba, who crossed for Lewandowski to strike.
Also in Group D, Antoine Griezmann scored his second goal deep into stoppage time to keep Atletico Madrid perfect and secure a spot in the next round with a 2-1 win at FC Rostov.
Griezmann delivered a spectacular opener on 28 minutes after Yannick Carrasco's lob into the box was headed on by Rostov's Sardar Azmoun and the Frenchman finished with a flick.
But Azmoun made amends two minutes later when he stayed onside on the counter-attack and slotted home the equaliser.
Griezmann, however, would not be denied and scored the winner following anoter poor defensive header with seconds remaining.
Napoli missed a chance to advance from Group B as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Besiktas.
The hosts had the better of the chances in a goalless first half before Ricardo Quaresma gave them the lead with a 79th-minute penalty following Nikola Maksimovic's handball.
But the advantage lasted less than three minutes as Marek Hamsik stepped up to fire in a superb 25-yard shot for the equaliser.
Napoli lead Benfica on goal difference after the Portuguese club edged Dynamo Kiev 1-0.
The only goal of the game came just before half-time, Eduardo Salvio scoring from the penalty spot after Domagoj Vida fouled Luisao in the box, with Junior Moraes missing a 69th-minute penalty for the visitors.