The Argentine forward cracked in an early first goal in the Group C match.
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Celtic, having missed a penalty to equalise, were 2-0 down at half-time and were swept aside after the break.
Messi opened the scoring with a wonderful drive into the top-right corner from inside the box, then added a second following some lovely link-up play with Neymar, before sealing a hat-trick from close range.
“There’s a lot to take from the game for the players in terms of technique, in terms of simplicity and quality and lots of things to learn for them from the game”.
Messi struck a hat-trick, Suarez netted a brace and Neymar found the target with a stunning free-kick and the latter credits the friendship they share away from the pitch for helping them reap the rewards on it.
They are – more often than not – unplayable.
“Very rarely can any team have experienced such a swing from being masters of their local universe – as Celtic were after their frolic in the Old Firm derby – to a side chasing shadows vainly for most of this non-contest”, says Roddy Forsyth of the Daily Telegraph.
Messi scored after just three minutes when Neymar slid the ball through a spooked defence.
Apart from Moussa Dembele’s penalty, saved by Marc-Andre ter Stegen after Messi had opened the scoring, Barcelona were in control throughout the game.
Enrique was in the firing line after leaving Messi and Suarez on the bench among seven changes for the Alaves clash. Football, yes, but not as anybody in Scotland knows it.
Barcelona’s ruthless attacking force tore Celtic’s game to shreds, exposing every bit of flaw they had that night.
The worst possible start for Arsenal hinted at a potential lopsided affair but the Gunners got out of jail with Alexis Sanchez’s leveller inside the final quarter of an hour.
Neymar curled in a free kick to stretch Barca’s lead in the 50th minute before crossing for Andres Iniesta to volley the fourth.
Celtic’s brains were spinning.
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.
Celtic’s next Champions League fixture will be against Manchester City on 28th August, with the group also consisting of Borussia Monchengladbach.
Celtic’s 5-1 rout of fierce Scottish rivals Rangers on Saturday seemed long ago.
The biggest compliment you can pay him is he came to an already world class team and made them better.
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However, Barca could face further sanctions from UEFA after thousands of separatist Catalan flags were again flown at the Camp Nou.
