Messi’s play time
HAVING FUN: Argentine star strutted like a child , says Luis Enrique
the Hoops after an intense performance on match day two against Manchester City had helped them claim a 3-3 draw with the English Premier League giants.
However, the Monchengladbach players seemed to have the measure of them from the start as they controlled proceedings.
Former Liverpool boss Rodgers admitted his side were still a work in progress after helping them to the Champions League group stages for the first time in three years.
“The best team won — I don’t think there is any argument about that,” Rodgers, whose side face rivals Rangers in the League Cup semi-final on Sunday, said.
“My players will learn a lot from that defeat. No matter how good we play there are still elements we need to be able to compete consistently at this level.
“I said from day one that we are in the process of building something here.” AFP
LIONEL Messi was like a “child playing in the playground” as he scored a hat-trick to inspire Barcelona’s 4-0 thrashing of Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday, his coach Luis Enrique said.
Making his first start in a month after recovering from a groin injury, Messi set the tone for another virtuoso performance with a storming run through the middle of City’s half before calmly dribbling past Claudio Bravo to score.
The floodgates opened once former Barca goalkeeper Bravo was sent off for handling outside the area and Messi toyed with City’s defence to smash the ball past compatriot Willy Caballero.
The five-time world player of the year sealed a second hat-trick of the season by tucking home a Luis Suarez cutback and was tripped by Aleksandar Kolarov in the dying minutes, although Brazilian forward Neymar missed the resulting penalty.
“We saw Messi play like a kid in the school playground today,” Luis Enrique told a news conference.
“Any other player would be shaking (after coming back from injury) but if we have come to expect anything from Messi, it’s that.
“It doesn’t matter how long he’s been out for or how many games he’s missed, he has a total understanding of football. Anyone who ever doubts Messi is naive.
“Those of us lucky enough to see him train every day know what he does. He helps in every sense and he is a reference point for us, without a doubt.”
Messi’s latest exhibition followed a two-goal masterpiece against Bayern Munich, managed by Guardiola, in a Champions League semi-final first leg in 2015.
“Since I’ve known him he’s always done things like that and he keeps doing it,” said Guardiola.
“This is not the first time he’s done this, I’ve seen him do it many times live before, but you have to congratulate him.”
Barcelona lead Manchester City by five points after three matches in Group C. Reuters on independence by Spanish prosecutors.
Barca were fined €150,000 euros (RM714,000) by UEFA for the presence of the flags at the Camp Nou during last season’s competition, €50,000 of which was suspended for two years.
European football’s governing body have yet to take any action against Barcelona for events before the Celtic match.
Barcelona have previously stated their anger at the fines as “totally unjust and...opposed to the exercise of the freedom of expression.”
The flag, known locally as the “Estelada“, which differentiates from the red and yellow Catalan flag by the presence of a five-pointed star within a blue triangle, has in recent years become a symbol of the independence movement within Catalonia.
However, UEFA consider it a political symbol and fined Barcelona €40,000 after it was flown during a Champions League group game against Bayer Leverkusen last September.
The club were also fined €30,000 in July 2015 after it was flown during the Champions League final in Berlin the previous month, where Barca beat Juventus to lift the trophy.
Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola is a staunch supporter of Catalan independence.
Guardiola made a symbolic stand for election to the Catalan parliament as part of a pro-independence alliance last year. AFP