Suarez showed his unselfishness rather than his killer instinct a minute later by squaring for Messi to roll home and complete his sixth Champions League hat-trick.
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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.
“Umtiti’s adaption has surprised me a little because he has adapted really quickly to a position where the club has always had difficulties”, he added. As a team we play and work to make sure the three of them are happy, that they get chances.
It was a “harrowing night” for Chelsea’s players and a “sobering” one for Rodgers, whose efforts to keep Barca at bay with five at the back failed badly, says Michael Grant of The Times.
Celtic’s attentions on the continent will turn next to their home game with City at the end of the month, where Rodgers will seek a notable upturn after a night to forget in Catalonia.
“I don’t think the players were spooked by the occasion”.
“But you can’t be too downhearted. Whether you are playing Barcelona or Berwick, there is professional pride to play for”.
“There can be no embarrassment because they do that to much better teams than ourselves”, said the Northern Irishman.
“No team likes to lose like that but this won’t hamper us in any way”.
Messi and Neymar were reunited with Luis Suarez from the start for the first time this season and took no time in getting reacquainted as all three were on the scoresheet. “We will recover and see what areas we can improve”.
Celtic coach Brendan Rodgers was also in awe of Messi and the other parts of the ruthless “MSN” attacking trident of Messi, Suarez and Neymar.
“We knew the next goal after half-time was going to be important”.
Having taken just three points from a pool containing Barca, AC Milan and Ajax in 2013, they were hoping for a good start to build on their weekend derby win over Rangers.
“The speed of the pitch is fantastic, the ball moves like it is on an ice-rink, it goes so fast – and they go as fast as that”, he said.
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“They could not have come to a more hard place in world football, after a highly intense game at the weekend where they put so much into it and dealt with so much pressure and played so well”.
