EUROPE’S ELITE CLUB competition is back in it’s full form tonight as the group stages of the Champions League kick off. There are eight games taking place with Groups A, B, C and D all getting underway.
Celtic make the trip to the Camp Nou to take on La Liga champions Barcelona, while Arsenal are away to Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City entertain Borussia Moenchengladbach at the Etihad Stadium.
We’ll be focusing on the Hoops and also bringing you live updates from the other matches.
Team news: Barcelona, who come into the game on the back of a shock 2-1 loss to Alaves, start with MSN — Messi, Suarez and Neymar — in attack.
After defeating their Glasgow rivals 5-1 at Celtic Park over the weekend, Brendan Rodgers brings in Costa Rican international Cristian Gamboa, who makes his debut, and winger Patrick Roberts (on loan from Man City) for Tom Rogic and James Forrest.
Barcelona: Ter Stegen, S Roberto, Pique, Umtiti, Alba, Rakitic, Gomes, Busquets, Suarez, Messi, Neymar.
Celtic: De Vries, Gamboa, Lustig, Toure, Sviatchenko, Tierney, Roberts, Brown, Bitton, Sinclair, Dembele.
These clubs actually met as recently as July, albeit in a pre-season friendly at the Aviva Stadium that Barca won out 3-1. Their last competitive game saw Neymar bag a hat-trick in a 6-1 drubbing in 2013.
Could Celtic be in for another heavy defeat this time out?
BREAKING NEWS – Man City’s game with Borussia Moenchengladbach has been postponed due to adverse weather.
Here’s a pic of a soaked pitch at the Etihad Stadium:
Former Celtic manager and captain Neil Lennon tells Tommy Martin on TV3: “There’s a wee church halfway down the tunnel (of the Nou Camp). I’d advise the Celtic players to drop in and look for divine intervention.”
Graeme Souness adds that the best thing they can hope for is “not to be embarrassed”.
It’s sure to be a tough night for the Scottish Premiership champions.
Both teams are out on the pitch and that unmistakable Champions League tune rings around the stadium, which is nowhere near full.
Captains Scott Brown and Lionel Messi shake hands.
KICK-OFF – We’re off and running. Both clubs in their traditional colours.
GOAL! Barcelona 1-0 Celtic (Lionel Messi)
Well that didn’t take long. Barca play a short corner and the ball is worked to Messi, who rifles home from a narrow angle.
Over in Paris, Arsenal have also fallen behind after just 42 seconds to an Edison Cavani header.
CROSSBAR – Kolo Toure’s attempted clearance crashes off his own bar, but Celtic are given a free-kick for offside.
It’s still all Barcelona here. Here’s that Messi goal for those who haven’t seen it:
CLOSE! Messi makes room for himself with a nutmeg and curls an effort just wide of the post. Moments lates, his ball to the back post is inches away from finding Suarez.
PENALTY TO CELTIC!
Ter Stegen brings down Dembele and it’s the Frenchman to take.
SAVED! Ter Stegen makes up for the foul by guessing correctly to palm Dembele’s effort away.
GOAL! Barcelona 2-0 Celtic (Lionel Messi)
After wasting their chance to equalise, Celtic are punished by a brilliant second from Messi. He exchanges a couple of one-twos with Neymar before slotting in from close range. So good to watch.
SAVE! Messi plays in Neymar, who steps inside his marker and shoots straight at De Vries. That should have been three.
Barcelona supporters welcome Celtic fans with a huge flag at the Camp Nou. Nice touch.
DISALLOWED – Celtic have the ball in the back of the net as Sinclair scores before being ruled offside.
Half-time: Barcelona 2-0 Celtic
All the half-time scores:
SECOND HALF – We’re back at it, and as if Barcelona weren’t already controlling the game enough in midfield, they’ve just brought on Andres Iniesta for Rakitic.
GOAL! Barcelona 3-0 Celtic (Neymar)
Barca are pulling away. Neymar steps up to curl a free-kick at goal from 25 yards. De Vries gets a hand to it but can’t keep the ball out. That wasn’t good enough from the Hoops goalkeeper.
YELLOW CARD – Celtic captain Scott Brown picks up a booking after an off-the-ball incident involving Neymar.
GOAL! Barcelona 4-0 Celtic (Andres Iniesta)
The substitute has got in the on the act. The midfielder meets Neymar’s cross with a smashing volley.
This could get embarrassing.
GOAL! Barcelona 5-0 Celtic (Lionel Messi)
That’s the hat-trick for Messi — the 36th of his career. The Argentine superstar feeds Suarez then gets it back to slide par De Vries.
This springs to mind…
SUBSTITUTE – Cork native Eoghan O’Connell is on with Stuart Armstrong as Roberts and Sviatchenko make way.
GOAL! Barcelona 6-0 Celtic (Luis Suarez)
Super finish from the Uruguayan, who collects the ball on his chest before turning to lash it into the roof of the net on the volley.
This looks like it’s going to be Celtic’s worst ever defeat in the competition.
GOAL! PSG 1-1 Arsenal (Alexis Sanchez)
The Gunners have equalised. Sanchez drills a shot into the ground after Iwobi’s effort is saved. PSG have wasted a bag of chances to go 2-0 up.
GOAL! Barcelona 7-0 Celtic (Luis Suarez)
They’re refusing to let up. Neymar plays a short corner to Messi, who finds Iniesta before taking a pass back. Messi looks up to pick out Suarez, and the striker increases his tally for the night to two.
Full-time: Barcelona 7-0 Celtic
Full-time scores:
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