Messi magic mesmerises Celtic

After surviving a whirlwind start by the visitors, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink gave the Hoops a 16th-minute lead with a powerful header before Messi levelled two minutes later.

Debutant Barry Robson's looping header just before the end of a pulsating first half gave Celtic an interval lead but, following a mistake by Gary Caldwell seven minutes after the restart, Thierry Henry equalised with a classy finish.

The home side tried valiantly to hang on in the face of a Catalan onslaught but in the 79th minute the Argentina international summoned up another piece of magic inside the Celtic penalty area before curling his shot past Artur Boruc, to give his side the advantage heading into the return match on March 4.

The fluid and inventive visitors took control from the first whistle but in the 16th minute, when the home side came up for air for the first time in the match, they took a sensational lead with their first effort on goal.

Aiden McGeady's attempted cross from the left was knocked back out to Lee Naylor but his delivery was powered home by the head of Vennegoor of Hesselink past Victor Valdes from 10 yards out.

Two minutes later, Andres Iniesta and Messi played a one-two inside the Celtic penalty area and despite Naylor's attempted clearance, the ball looped over Artur Boruc and the little Barca striker took the acclaim of his team-mates.

The game looked to have turned in the visitors' favour but there was more drama in the 38th minute when McGeady turned inside Iniesta, lofted the ball in to the Barcelona penalty area and Robson stretched to lift his header over the despairing Valdes from just inside the box.

Stunned Barca began the second half as impressively as they had begun the first but their equaliser in the 52nd minute came only after Celtic defender Gary Caldwell carelessly gave the ball straight to Ronaldinho. The Brazilian superstar quickly moved it on to Henry on the left-hand side of the penalty area and the Frenchman took a touch before curling the ball past Boruc.

And in the 79th minute, in yet another Barca attack, Messi got the break of the ball inside the Celtic penalty area, dragged it back on to his left foot and curled a wonderful shot past Boruc.