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.
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.
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.
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 Andres 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.
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.
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