How the Barcelona players rated:

MARC-ANDRE TER STEGEN: Celtic harried him at every pass back but the German rarely looked flustered, switching the ball from foot to foot until a pass became available. Decent first-half save from Moussa Dembele, too, then easy grab from same man’s header after the break. 7

SERGI ROBERTO: The man given the unenviable task of filling Dani Alves’ boots this season strolled through the game, rarely giving Sinclair and then James Forrest a sniff, although one clumsy tackle on the latter did earn him a booking. 6

JAVIER MASCHERANO: Not the tallest centre half but doesn’t need to be given how well he reads the game and the accuracy of his distribution. One first-half sliding block on Dembele was timed to perfection. 7

Read more: Celtic v Barcelona: Celtic player ratings

GERARD PIQUE: A defender so composed he even made one pass while sitting on his backside, although not averse to hoofing it long when no obvious short option presented itself. 7

JORDI ALBA: Snuffed out the threat of Callum McGregor and regularly hared forward in attack himself, one first-half cross squirted wide by Lionel Messi. Booked in the first half for a crude challenge on Sinclair. 6

IVAN RAKITIC: Terrific energy and stamina to charge up and down almost like an old-fashioned inside-right. One powerful first-half header almost led to a Barcelona goal. Booked late on. 6

SERGIO BUSQUETS: On the wrong end of an early Scott Brown reducer but recovered to provide his almost customised extra layer of protection in front of the Barcelona defence. 7

ANDRE GOMES: Slotted in beside Busquets to do the unflashy stuff that largely involved trailing Celtic midfielders around the field like a night watchman keeping an eye on a group of loitering teenagers. 6

LIONEL MESSI: Could he do it on a freezing Wednesday night in Glasgow? Does Donald Trump like a sunbed? Supposedly below his best after recovering from a sickness bug, the little Argentinean again showed why he is the best player in the world. Scored the first goal of the game with a drilled low finish at Craig Gordon’s near post and added a second from the spot. One nonchalant pass from his own half plopped onto Neymar’s foot as if he had ran up and placed it there himself. Work-rate terrific, too. 9

LUIS SUAREZ: The quietest of the MSN trio on the night but only a tremendous save from Craig Gordon denied the former Liverpool man a headed first-half goal. Won Barcelona’s penalty in the second half then missed a late sitter. 7

Read more: Celtic v Barcelona: Celtic player ratings

NEYMAR: The threat of possible two-year prison sentence initially seemed to have had little effect on the Brazilian as he breezed through the game before getting embroiled in a second-half spat with Mikael Lustig, picking up a booking and then lucky not to get a second for the time it took him to leave the field when substituted. 7

Subs:

LUCAS DIGNE (for Alba 66): Like for like swap at left-back.

MARLON (for Pique 72): Shored it up at the back.

ARDA TURAN (for Neymar 77): On, eventually, for a petulant Neymar.