“The combination of our tiredness and their quality and freshness – these are top-class players”, he said. “It was a great way to make our entrance to the competition (this season)”. Celtic fell to a 7-0 defeat but their manager insisted that there was “no embarrassment” and that he could not have asked for any more from his team.
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Messi’s the best player in the world, at whatever position he plays.
“He’s total football and we’d be very stupid if we imposed limits on him”, he added. “Not just because of his numbers, but for his vision of the game”.
Rodgers, whose Scottish Premiership side beat Old Firm rivals Rangers 5-1 at the weekend, told BT Sport: “We put a huge effort into the weekend and got a fantastic victory. It is a front three that can occupy as many players as you want”.
Neymar set up Messi to score twice in the first half hour at Camp Nou before the Brazil striker struck from a free kick just after halftime.
Barcelona were utterly dominant against Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic, taking a lead through Messi’s opener less than three minutes into the game.
“But in saying that we’re at Parkhead in a couple of weeks and some of the boys were saying the scoreline could be similar when we play them. Even though he didn’t have his best day, we knew he’d end up scoring”.
Typically dominant in possession, Barcelona swung the ball out wide to Neymar – who picked up four assists on the night – stretching Celtic’s narrow midfield.
“If he plays as a No 6, he’s the best 6, if he plays as a No 8, he’s the best 8 and if he plays as a No 10, he’s the best 10, so he’s given absolute freedom on the pitch”.
The Hoops were losing 2-0 at the interval through a Lionel Messi double, but Moussa Dembele had a penalty saved by Marc-Andre ter Stegen when it was 1-0 for the home side.
Brown said he and his team-mates had not kept the ball well enough at the Nou Camp.
Moments later Messi slid in a pass from Suarez for number five before Neymar picked out the advancing former Liverpool player with a fine chip over the Hoops defence, and he turned and thrashed the ball high into the net.
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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And Messi’s low cross was prodded home from close range by Suarez to cap a humbling evening for Rodgers’s men on their return to the Champions League after a three-year absence.
