Between May and September, Neymar spent three and a half months away from Cataluña, busy on holidays and commitments with the Brazil national team.
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Messi’s hat-trick was the 40th of his career and his sixth in this competition, a trio which brings him within seven of Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 93.
“We know we’re a lot better than what we showed against Barcelona”.
“He plays with complete freedom to change his position as he wants”. “It was a great way to make our entrance to the competition (this season)”.
Boss Brendan Rodgers insists Celtic’s season will not be derailed by the 7-0 Champions League thrashing they suffered at the hands of Barcelona on Tuesday night.
The Uruguayan and Messi started Saturday’s shock 2-1 defeat by Alaves in the Spanish Primera Liga on the bench, while Neymar missed the start of the season owing to his participation in the Olympics, where he fired Brazil to a first gold medal in football.
“There can be no embarrassment because they do that to much better teams than ourselves”, said the Northern Irishman. That’s why he is the best of all time.
Rodgers told BT Sport 3: “We put a huge effort into the weekend and got a fantastic victory”.
Celtic can only lick their wounds and hope it was not one of those defeats which can affect a squad for a couple of weeks. “To lose by so many goals is tough to take”.
In the second half, Neymar’s free-kick sailed into the net, Andres Iniesta volleyed a fourth, Messi slid home the fifth and Suarez scored with a volley and then a side-footed finish.
Neymar and Saurez played together for Barcelona.
“Manchester City will come at us too”. Neymar, after the game against Celtic, said that the on-field chemistry between the three is down to the brilliant camaraderie they share off the field. “They move the ball around so quickly, they are at the top of the game”.
“But, we can’t just write a result like this off because of how good Barcelona are”.
He smashed home a pass from Neymar in the third minute and the Argentine maestro struck again in the 27th after Celtic’s Moussa Dembele had a penalty saved by goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Brown said he and his team-mates had not kept the ball well enough at the Nou Camp.
Suarez added his own flourish to the demolition when he took Neymar’s lob on the chest, before swiveling and beating De Vries with a left-footed strike in the 75th.
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Celtic were demoralised. Messi hit the post before setting up Suarez for the seventh which ended a night of torment for the Glasgow club. But Barcelona weren’t to be stopped, as they continued the goal fest at Camp Nou.
