CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Messi double as Barcelona ease past Celtic

Messi missed the goalless draw against Malaga on Saturday with a bug, but his return to action against Celtic demonstrated once again just how important he is to Luis Enrique’s side.

“He shows the difference he makes”.

“We have to play how we’re best playing, which is really aggressive and on the front foot, having the tactical plan in order to be really aggressive in the game”. “Especially for the gaffer, it would be huge for him being a Celtic fan, coming to the club and getting us playing as well as we can”.

Celtic captain Scott Brown insists the team will be back in the Champions League next year after they exited Europe with a game to play. “Overall, it was a clean game, we were aggressive and they had big quality, and I think in that battle Mika did very well”.

He said at his post-match media conference: “I didn’t think it was a penalty”. I have to congratulate the team.

“It’s going to be a different game”, Luis Enrique said.

“At the time of course, I said it was very disappointing but it hasn’t harmed us, if anything, it has only improved us a group and as a squad”.

“It was a key moment in the game as at the start of the second half we were pressing and we were winning the ball and the momentum was clearly with us”.

“Even at 2-0, we still kept fighting and working, but, of course, it becomes that little bit more hard”.

In the UEFA Champions League, Barcelona have yet not qualified for the next stage of the tournament but can do so with a win over Celtic in an away fixture at the Celtic Park.

Celtic have a monumental task ahead of them as they fight to stay in the Champions League when they come up against heavyweights FC Barcelona.

“It’s just about maintaining that standard and that’s down to your demands every day in training”.

Yet he is set to be involved for the club’s next European assignment, with Mourinho crystalising what his team need to get through to the next phase of the Europa League.