GLASGOW: The dazzling Lionel Messi returned from illness to score yet another double to help Barcelona ease into the knockout stages of the Champions League for a 13th successive year with their 2-0 win at Celtic last night.
Messi, who missed the goalless draw with Malaga on Saturday with a sickness bug, was back to his tormenting best just as he had been when scoring a hat-trick in Barca’s 7-0 win in the their Group C fixture at the Nou Camp two months earlier.
Celtic were not humiliated in the same manner but Barca had too much class with Messi their executioner again, latching on to Neymar’s dinked through ball to fire first-time past Craig Gordon in the 24th minute and then converting a penalty in the 56th minute.
The brace took Messi’s Champions League total to 92 goals, including nine in this season’s group stages alone, and though he narrowly missed a hat-trick, his genius ensured Celtic exited all European competition while Barca will progress as group winners.
Manchester City booked a spot in the last 16 after securing a 1-1 draw at Borussia Moenchengladbach in their Group C match as both teams had a player sent off.
The hosts, who secured third place in the group and will go into the Europa League, took a surprise lead through Brazilian Raffael before David Silva equalised on the stroke of halftime.
Gladbach were reduced to 10 men early in the second half when captain Lars Stindl was sent off following a second booking but City’s Fernandinho also saw red 12 minutes later.
Arsenal squandered a chance to wrap up first place in Group A as Paris Saint-Germain hit back to earn a 2-2 at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsene Wenger’s side were on course to secure top spot and a possible easier draw in the last 16 after taking a 2-1 lead in the second half.
Having trailed to Edinson Cavani’s first-half opener, the Gunners equalised through Olivier Giroud just before the break and went ahead in the second half thanks to a Marco Verratti own goal.
But Lucas equalised in the closing stages to ensure Arsenal and PSG, who had both already qualified for the last 16, will have to wait until the final round of group matches to settle their fight for pole position.
Atletico Madrid sealed top spot in Group D after second half goals from Frenchmen Kevin Gameiro and Antoine Griezmann gave them a comfortable 2-0 win at home to PSV Eindhoven.
Gameiro broke the deadlock in the 55th minute with an arrowed first-time finish and Griezmann clinched Atletico’s fifth win in five Champions League games with a near post finish in the 66th.
Atletico top Group D with 15 points, six clear of Bayern Munich, who visit them in a fortnight’s time in a game that will have no bearing on the final standings. Rostov are third on four points after beating Bayern 3-2, while PSV are bottom with one.