Luis Enrique Gives His Verdict on Barcelona’s Champions League Campaign So Far

Suarez has been included on the 30-man shortlist for the award and is one of the favourites to take the title after scoring 59 goals in 53 games for the La Liga champions last season.

Barcelona manager Luis Enrique has admitted he has “no idea” whether Lionel Messi will stay at the club or not in the future.

Now with just domestic football to focus on, Celtic will look to maintain their excellent start to the season and achieve further success. Neymar provided the assist, and it was already his seventh of this Champions League campaign, equalling the all-time mark for a single season.

“We’re playing them [Barcelona] again at home but it doesn’t mean the game is going to be any easier”, Rodgers said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Both players went head-to-head after the Barca forward was penalised for a challenge on the defender late in a Champions League game that had seen them regularly do battle on Wednesday.

“We have to try pretty much, (when they) bring their game to us, you have to take it in tight situations with two or three players and be able to play one-twos around them”.

“I didn’t think it was a penalty”, said Rodgers who revealed that Scott Sinclair, who stayed inside at the interval with a knock, will be assessed ahead of the Betfred Cup final against Aberdeen at Hampden Park on Sunday.

“We’d have had a big chance”, he said.

“We produced a serious game and made lots more chances”. “It is November. We are not yet at Christmas, so there is a long time to go”.

The Catalan side are hoping to tie the Argentine star to a new contract, but have to overcome some financial obstacles before they will be in a position to offer him a deal.

“If Lionel Messi plays then of course he’s arguably the world’s best player and I think he’s shown when he doesn’t play they are a different team”, Rodgers added.

Celtic, who always seem to become a different team when fuelled by the fevered atmosphere of their Parkhead home, are warmed by the memory of their famous 2-1 triumph over Messi and Barca there in 2012.