Champions League: Barcelona 7-0 Celtic

By Tom EnglishBBC Scotland at the Nou Camp

Last updated on 13 September 2016.From the section Football295

Celtic had no answer to Messi's sublime skills

Lionel Messi scored his sixth Champions League hat-trick as rampant Barcelona inflicted on Celtic their heaviest ever European defeat.

The Argentina forward cracked in an early first goal in the Group C match.

Celtic's Moussa Dembele had a penalty saved before Messi poked in his second.

In the second half, Neymar's free-kick sailed into the net, Andres Iniesta volleyed a fourth, Messi slid home the fifth and Luis Suarez scored with a volley and then a side-footed finish.

266 goals & 128 assists

Neymar punches the air after scoring the third goal at Camp Nou — Neymar punches the air after scoring the third goal

In their two full seasons together at the Nou Camp, Messi, Neymar and Suarez have scored a combined 253 goals and assisted 120 more.

Those numbers are rising quickly in the early weeks of this season - 266 goals and 128 assists - and in this latest masterclass, Messi got a hat-trick and Neymar a goal and four assists.

They are - more often than not - unplayable. All of the weaknesses in Celtic's make-up - and there were so many - were ruthlessly exposed.

Messi scored after just three minutes when Neymar slid the ball through a spooked defence.

Celtic won a penalty against the run of play when Dembele was brought down by Marc-Andre ter Stegen, but the striker had his effort saved by the Barcelona goalkeeper.

After that, the floodgates opened.

Football as art

Andres Iniesta came on a substitute and volleyed Barcelona's fourth goal

Messi's second came after he and Neymar combined to bamboozle the Celtic defence, Messi walking it in for number two. Barca's speed of thought and movement was delicious. Football, yes, but not as anybody in Scotland knows it.

Neymar's 50th-minute free-kick made it three, Celtic goalkeeper Dorus de Vries getting a touch but not a big enough touch. De Vries should have done better.

The torture just got worse. Iniesta came on at the break and scored the fourth, thumping Neymar's cross on the volley past De Vries.

Celtic's brains were spinning. Within 76 seconds the fifth had arrived, Suarez putting it into the box for Messi to slide in for his hat-trick goal.

Suarez added the sixth, taking down Neymar's dinked pass on his chest before turning and rifling it home.

Wrong kind of history

Luis Suarez volleys home Barca's sixth goal as Eoghan O'Connell looks on

This was Celtic's heaviest ever defeat in Europe even before Messi assisted once again for the seventh, which Suarez. scored.

Celtic are just another in a long line of Barca victims. The Catalans have done this kind of thing to so many teams in the recent past and that is the only consolation for the visitors.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers said on Monday that great players always find space no matter what their opponents try to do to stop them.

Barca had the freedom of the Nou Camp - and they revelled in it to make Celtic suffer.

Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text

Line-ups

Barcelona

Formation 4-3-3

1ter StegenBooked at 23mins
20Roberto
3Piqué
23Umtiti
18Alba
4RakiticBooked at 40minsSubstituted forIniestaat 45'minutes
5BusquetsSubstituted forRafinhaat 61'minutes
21André Gomes
10Messi
9Suárez
11Neymar

Substitutes

7Turan
8Iniesta
12Rafinha
13Cillessen
14Mascherano
17Alcácer
19Digne

Celtic

Formation 5-4-1

24de Vries
12Gamboa
23Lustig
2K Touré
28SviatchenkoSubstituted forO'Connellat 68'minutes
63Tierney
27RobertsSubstituted forS Armstrongat 68'minutes
8BrownBooked at 56mins
6BittonSubstituted forMcGregorat 76'minutes
11Sinclair
10Dembele

Substitutes

1Gordon
3Izaguirre
14S Armstrong
18Rogic
34O'Connell
42McGregor
49Forrest

Referee:: Ovidiu Hategan
Attendance:: 73,290

Match Stats

Home TeamBarcelonaAway TeamCeltic

Possession: Home72%; Away28%

Shots: Home15; Away3

Shots on Target: Home10; Away2

Corners: Home9; Away2

Fouls: Home8; Away3

Live Text

Post update
Match ends, Barcelona 7, Celtic 0.
90'+3'
Full Time
Second Half ends, Barcelona 7, Celtic 0.

90'+1'
Post update
Offside, Celtic. Scott Sinclair tries a through ball, but Moussa Dembele is caught offside.
88'
Goal!
Goal! Barcelona 7, Celtic 0. Luis Suárez (Barcelona) right footed shot from very close range to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Lionel Messi following a corner.
88'
Post update
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Dorus de Vries.
88'
Post update
Attempt saved. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Luis Suárez.
83'
Post update
Offside, Barcelona. Jordi Alba tries a through ball, but Luis Suárez is caught offside.
80'
Post update
Foul by Rafinha (Barcelona).
80'
Post update
Scott Brown (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
76'
Substitution
Substitution, Celtic. Callum McGregor replaces Nir Bitton.
75'
Goal!
Goal! Barcelona 6, Celtic 0. Luis Suárez (Barcelona) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box to the top left corner. Assisted by Neymar with a through ball.
73'
Post update
Foul by Rafinha (Barcelona).
73'
Post update
Stuart Armstrong (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
72'
Post update
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Eoghan O'Connell.
72'
Post update
Attempt blocked. Rafinha (Barcelona) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Neymar.
70'
Post update
Offside, Barcelona. Lionel Messi tries a through ball, but Luis Suárez is caught offside.
68'
Substitution
Substitution, Celtic. Eoghan O'Connell replaces Erik Sviatchenko.
68'
Substitution
Substitution, Celtic. Stuart Armstrong replaces Patrick Roberts.
67'
Post update
Offside, Barcelona. Lionel Messi tries a through ball, but Gerard Piqué is caught offside.
67'
Post update
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Erik Sviatchenko.

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295 comments

Comment posted by C Kyle, at 00:07 14 Sep 2016
Superb footballing display from Barcelona, and just desserts for the most obnoxious team in the UK and their reprehensible fans. I'd usually support any British team in Europe, but after the actions of Celtic fans in the recent Old Firm game, I must say I thoroughly enjoyed their humiliation- and look forward to more to come.
Comment posted by Tanglewood, at 00:06 14 Sep 2016
Hopefully that's the end of claims that Celtic are a "big club", or even a "big fish in a small pond". Minnow in a bucket of tadpoles is probably more accurate.
Comment posted by Dave, at 00:02 14 Sep 2016
Leigh Griffiths recently said that Celtics attack was 'formidable' and that no other Scottish team can compete with them. What then does tonights result say about Scottish football? Celtic will stroll to the league title every season but it's hardly an achievement is it?!?!
Comment posted by User0531927979, at 23:52 13 Sep 2016
The final nail in the coffin of Scottish football. Celtic are rampant at home but only because they outspend everyone else 10 to 1. They buy up the best talent from other spl sides, who then can't compete, then whine that they have no competition at home. Then they come up against vastly superior opposition who blow them away - but they'll blame everybody but themselves for this absolute scudding.
Comment posted by william, at 00:40 14 Sep 2016
sad state of scottish football when 7-0 is not considered embarrassing by celtic management
Comment posted by User0669959969, at 00:10 14 Sep 2016
Scottish Football at its Best
Comment posted by Schnitzengruben, at 00:52 14 Sep 2016
Scottish football = Pub league
Comment posted by User0688160114, at 02:40 14 Sep 2016
Great to see Celtic get absolutely tonked and humiliated by a real football club. Their fans behavior at the Old Firm derby was an absolute disgrace. Hanging effigies and sectarian abuse have no place in football. Sooner they are out of Europe and no longer an embarrassment to British football the better.
Comment posted by BLRbrazil, at 23:53 13 Sep 2016
You can't go missing penalties against Barcelona! That would've made the score 1-1 and while nobody is kidding themselves that Barça wouldn't have won comfortably, it probably would not have turned into a rout.
NSM is possibly the best strike partnership in football history and it's great to watch them do their stuff.
Celtic have to play for 2nd, tho' 4th was always the most realistic position.
Comment posted by SpongeBoab Square Sausage, at 08:49 14 Sep 2016
Celtic fans moaning about the inferior funding/resources in comparison to Barca....now you know how the other teams in the SPL feel!

Very satisfying watching them get spanked last night!
Comment posted by Rosbif, at 06:05 14 Sep 2016
Rogers was right Celtic weren't there as passengers, they were there as bystanders.
Comment posted by User0532541719, at 07:57 14 Sep 2016
Idiot manager...Crass fans...Nasty club.

They got what was coming to them. Well done Barcelona.
Comment posted by Delgow, at 01:21 14 Sep 2016
Don't let mess around What a thumping ! Must admit they were getting a wee bit uppity under Rodgers . Now their back in their tank again as a slightly big fish among tiddlers . And lets not kid ourselves their fans are that deluded they did actually think they could get a result
Comment posted by EricBlair, at 04:47 14 Sep 2016
So this is what the Sunday Pub League's finest can dish up? This is what happens when you play in a mickey mouse league. Great whilst you can lord it over your supposed opponents but not so good when you come up against real opposition. And just to think they thought they could play in the EPL, it would almost be funny were it not so deluded!
Comment posted by User0449979354, at 09:16 14 Sep 2016
As I said in my pre-match post, Celtic would struggle in England's second tier.

I'm surprised Brenda deludes himself. Everyone in Europe knows the SPL is a pub league.
Comment posted by Thistledubhme, at 06:47 14 Sep 2016
I am a Rangers fan who watched this Celtic side dismantle us at the weekend. They were impressive. Now Barca have taken 7 off them, it shows where Scottish football is at the moment. Yes, we are short of money, as relegated EPL teams get more from Sky then Celtic would if they won the Champions League. It is not a level playing field and sadly never will be.
Comment posted by mullan, at 09:16 14 Sep 2016
Supras .....Celtic have the most deluded fans in the world. they got a bloody beating (big time) so don't try and change the big subject, they got hammered, end of story.
Comment posted by monsieurhulot, at 07:58 14 Sep 2016
Brendan Rodgers - a great manager in his own mind.

How do I get on this very lucrative gravy-train of woeful football managers who fail time and again, get paid £millions in compensation when sacked, and then get appointed by another idiot chairman?

Finally, when all else fails, they get a job as a TV expert pundit and tell other managers how it should be done!
Comment posted by User0532541719, at 08:40 14 Sep 2016
Not a bad result for Celtic all things considered.

They were lucky it didn't get really embarrassing.

Anything can happen with Bodgers in charge...
Comment posted by Better together, at 07:34 14 Sep 2016
After the vile sectarian display by their fans at the weekend it's hard to have any sympathy for them. As for the reporter Mr Engish maybe he should take Some lessons from reporters in his own country, such as the Irish Times who reported the display instead of ignoring it as he did. It seems Mr English didn't see anything wrong with the vile displays.

	Team	P	D	F	A	Pts
1	Arsenal	1	1	1	1	1
2	Ludogorets	1	1	1	1	1
3	FC Basel	1	1	1	1	1
4	PSG	1	1	1	1	1

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Napoli	1	1	0	0	2	1	1	3
2	Besiktas	1	0	1	0	1	1	0	1
3	Benfica	1	0	1	0	1	1	0	1
4	Dynamo Kyiv	1	0	0	1	1	2	-1	0

	Team	P	W	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Barcelona	1	1	0	7	0	7	3
2	B Mgladbach	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Man City	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Celtic	1	0	1	0	7	-7	0

	Team	P	W	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Bayern Munich	1	1	0	5	0	5	3
2	Atl Madrid	1	1	0	1	0	1	3
3	PSV Eindhoven	1	0	1	0	1	-1	0
4	FC Rostov	1	0	1	0	5	-5	0

		Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1		B Leverkusen	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2		CSKA Moscow	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3		Monaco	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4		Tottenham	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

		Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1		B Dortmund	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2		Legia Warsaw	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3		Real Madrid	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4		Sporting	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

		Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1		Club Bruges	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2		FC Copenhagen	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3		FC Porto	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4		Leicester	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

		Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1		Dinamo Zagreb	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2		Juventus	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3		Lyon	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4		Sevilla	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

266 goals & 128 assists

Football as art

Wrong kind of history

Line-ups

Barcelona

Substitutes

Celtic

Substitutes

Match Stats

Live Text

Comments

Join the conversation

Comment posted by C Kyle, at 00:07 14 Sep 2016C Kyle

Comment posted by Tanglewood, at 00:06 14 Sep 2016Tanglewood

Comment posted by Dave, at 00:02 14 Sep 2016Dave

Comment posted by User0531927979, at 23:52 13 Sep 2016User0531927979

Comment posted by william, at 00:40 14 Sep 2016william

Comment posted by User0669959969, at 00:10 14 Sep 2016User0669959969

Comment posted by Schnitzengruben, at 00:52 14 Sep 2016Schnitzengruben

Comment posted by User0688160114, at 02:40 14 Sep 2016User0688160114

Comment posted by BLRbrazil, at 23:53 13 Sep 2016BLRbrazil

Comment posted by SpongeBoab Square Sausage, at 08:49 14 Sep 2016SpongeBoab Square Sausage

Comment posted by Rosbif, at 06:05 14 Sep 2016Rosbif

Comment posted by User0532541719, at 07:57 14 Sep 2016User0532541719

Comment posted by Delgow, at 01:21 14 Sep 2016Delgow

Comment posted by EricBlair, at 04:47 14 Sep 2016EricBlair

Comment posted by User0449979354, at 09:16 14 Sep 2016User0449979354

Comment posted by Thistledubhme, at 06:47 14 Sep 2016Thistledubhme

Comment posted by mullan, at 09:16 14 Sep 2016mullan

Comment posted by monsieurhulot, at 07:58 14 Sep 2016monsieurhulot

Comment posted by User0532541719, at 08:40 14 Sep 2016User0532541719

Comment posted by Better together, at 07:34 14 Sep 2016Better together

Scores, Results & Fixtures

Tuesday 13th September 2016

As It Stood

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

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Comment posted by C Kyle, at 00:07 14 Sep 2016

Comment posted by Tanglewood, at 00:06 14 Sep 2016

Comment posted by Dave, at 00:02 14 Sep 2016

Comment posted by User0531927979, at 23:52 13 Sep 2016

Comment posted by william, at 00:40 14 Sep 2016

Comment posted by User0669959969, at 00:10 14 Sep 2016

Comment posted by Schnitzengruben, at 00:52 14 Sep 2016

Comment posted by User0688160114, at 02:40 14 Sep 2016

Comment posted by BLRbrazil, at 23:53 13 Sep 2016

Comment posted by SpongeBoab Square Sausage, at 08:49 14 Sep 2016

Comment posted by Rosbif, at 06:05 14 Sep 2016

Comment posted by User0532541719, at 07:57 14 Sep 2016

Comment posted by Delgow, at 01:21 14 Sep 2016

Comment posted by EricBlair, at 04:47 14 Sep 2016

Comment posted by User0449979354, at 09:16 14 Sep 2016

Comment posted by Thistledubhme, at 06:47 14 Sep 2016

Comment posted by mullan, at 09:16 14 Sep 2016

Comment posted by monsieurhulot, at 07:58 14 Sep 2016

Comment posted by User0532541719, at 08:40 14 Sep 2016

Comment posted by Better together, at 07:34 14 Sep 2016