Result: Barcelona put seven past
Celtic at Camp Nou
Read Next:
Laudrup questions Barcelona
squad
>
FOOTBALL
By Matt Law , European Football Editor
Filed: Tuesday, September 13, 2016 at 21:36 UK
Last Updated: Tuesday, September 13, 2016 at
21:44 UK
Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick as Barcelona
opened their Champions League Group C
campaign with a 7-0 victory over Scottish
champions Celtic at Camp Nou on Tuesday night.
Neymar , Andres Iniesta and Luis Suarez were
also on the scoresheet for the home side in a
match that saw Moussa Dembele miss a first-half
spot kick for Celtic, who suffered their worst ever
European defeat.
Barcelona boss Luis Enrique rung the changes
from his team's 2-1 defeat to Alaves at the
weekend, with Marc-Andre ter Stegen , Sergi
Roberto , Gerard Pique, Samuel Umtiti, Jordi Alba ,
Andre Gomes , Messi and Luis Suarez all
returning.
content continues after the advert
Only Ivan Rakitic , Sergio Busquets and Neymar
remained from the side that suffered the shock
home loss as Enrique resisted the temptation to
rest Messi once again as the Argentine recovers
from a groin problem.
As for Celtic, Dembele, fresh from his hat-trick
against Rangers at the weekend, led the line with
support from Patrick Roberts and Scott Sinclair ,
while Cristian Gamboa made his debut after
joining from West Bromwich Albion.
It took Barcelona just three minutes to make the
breakthrough on the night as Neymar released
Messi inside the away side's box and the
Argentine arrowed his effort out of the reach of
Dorus de Vries into the top corner.
Two minutes later, Kolo Toure almost scored a
spectacular own goal to send Barcelona two
goals ahead when Alba had delivered from the
left, but the centre-back's clearance hit the
crossbar and the offside flag brought Celtic a free
kick.
Messi had another opportunity in the 16th minute
when he found a yard of space outside the Celtic
box, but the forward's effort just missed the
target, before Luis Suarez missed the chance to
convert a Messi cross at the far post.
Celtic were awarded a penalty in the 23rd minute
of action when Ter Stegen brought Dembele to
the ground inside the box, but the 20-year-old,
who rose to his feet to take on the responsibility,
saw his spot kick saved by Barcelona's German
goalkeeper as the visitors missed a glorious
chance to level.
Barcelona were shocked into life by the spot kick
and scored their second in the 27th minute when
Neymar and Messi combined inside the Celtic box
before the latter tapped home after De Vries had
been drawn out of his goal.
The pressure continued as Barcelona looked for a
third and Kieran Tierney was forced to clear a
Rakitic effort off the line, before De Vries got
down to keep out a low strike from Neymar, who
had been released at the end of a counter-attack.
content continues after the advert
Celtic did have the ball in the back of the
Barcelona net in the 42nd minute when Sinclair
finished into the bottom corner, but the former
Swansea City forward was offside when Tierney
released his initial strike.
It did not get any easier for Celtic as Barcelona
introduced Iniesta at the interval and the home
side had their third of the match in the 50th
minute of action when Neymar curled a brilliant
free kick into the top corner from 30 yards.
Ten minutes later it was 4-0 Barcelona as
Neymar delivered a super cross onto the right
boot of Iniesta, whose explosive volley found the
back of the net, before Messi tapped a Luis
Suarez cross home for five less than two minutes
later.
Celtic's frustration was shown in the 63rd minute
when Nir Bitton decided to have a shot from
inside his own half and Ter Stegen simply stood
still to save and set up another period of
possession for the dominant hosts.
The Scottish champions enjoyed their best spell
of the second half 20 minutes from time when
they managed to work the ball into wide
positions, but it was very comfortable for a
Barcelona team that responded from the Alaves
defeat in style.
Neymar, who ended the night with four assists,
almost provided a sixth for Barcelona in the 72nd
minute when he found fellow Brazilian Rafinha
just inside the Celtic box, but Eoghan O'Connell
was on hand to make a smart block.
Barcelona did make it 6-0 in the 75th minute,
however, when Luis Suarez controlled a brilliant
pass from Neymar before smashing the ball into
the top corner to continue the humiliation for the
Scottish giants.
The Catalan giants continued to pass and probe
in the latter stages as they searched for a
seventh and Messi hit the post in the 88th
minute before Luis Suarez completed his brace
with a close-range finish.
Group A's other match between Manchester City
and Borussia Monchengladbach was postponed
due to the weather conditions in Manchester,
which had made the pitch at the Etihad Stadium
unplayable.

Hahaha