Barcelona 5-0 Celta Vigo: Lionel Messi scores brace as Luis Enrique's side romp to victory and leapfrog Real Madrid to the top of La Liga

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Lionel Messi scored the first goal on 24 minutes and then mimicked making a telephone call as part of his goal celebration – perhaps he was calling UEFA. Last week the game's European governing body gave Barca a 0% chance of progressing to the Champions League quarter-finals.

It's true that no-one has ever overturned a 4-0 first leg defecit and Barcelona have a mountain to climb against Paris Saint-Germain, but they have Messi and with Messi anything is possible. The supporters certainly think so, they were singing: 'Yes we can' by the time the fifth goal went in.

This 5-0 win was special from Messi and special from Barcelona who have now scored 11 goals in four days and sit back on top of the Spanish first division albeit having played a game more than Real Madrid.

Lionel Messi provides the finishing touch to a mazy run in the first-half to give Barcelona the lead on Saturday night

Lionel Messi celebrates after opening the scoring for Barcelona after 24 minutes against Celta Vigo at the Nou Camp

Neymar chips the Celta Vigo goalkeeper to score Barcelona's second and the pick of the goals on the night

Goalkeeper Sergio Alvarez can only watch on as Neymar's dink carries on its trajectory before nestling in the back of the net

The Brazilian celebrates after scoring his impudent chip with five minutes remaining of the first-half

Barcelona's stand-in captain Lionel Messi embraces Neymar after his spectacular goal doubled the home side's advantage

MATCH STATS, FACTS AND LA LIGA TABLE

Barcelona: ter Stegen, Pique, Umtiti, Alba, Rafinha, Sergi Roberto (Iniesta 66), Busquets (Mascherano 60), Rakitic, Messi, Suarez, Neymar (Denis Suarez 69)

Subs not used: Turan, Cillessen, Alcacer, Digne

Goalscorers: Messi  24, 64, Neymar 40, Rakitic 57, Umtiti 61

Booked: Busquets

Celta Vigo: Alvarez, Roncaglia, Cabral, Sergi Gomez, Jonny, Wass, Radoja, Mallo, Aspas, Bongonda (Sisto 51), Guidetti (Jozabed 61)

Subs not used: Diaz, Beauvue, Planas, Rossi, Villar

Booked: Cabral, Gomez, Radoja

 

 

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The rout could easily have started earlier when both Suarez and Messi hit the post in the space of seconds on 18 minutes.

Suarez surged past Gustavo Cabral and hit the foot of the right upright. And from a more difficult angle as the ball came back out to him, Messi hit the same spot on the same post.

Barcelona should then have had a penalty three minutes later when Neymar was chopped down by Hugo Mallo. The spot-kick wasn't given but it didn't matter because Messi was about to conjure the first goal.

He picked the ball up midway inside Celta's half. Not content with starting his run from there he carried the ball back the edge of the centre-circle then turned and went for the Celta juglular wriggling through the centre of their defence. With Cabral and Sergi Gomez left flailing, he curled a shot inside Sergio Alvarez' far post.

It was his 37th goal of the season in just 37 games but it was only the beginning.

Ivan Rakitic slots the ball past Celta Vigo goalkeeper Segio Alvarez to score Barcelona's third of the night

Sergio Busquets celebrates with Ivan Rakitic after the Croatian put Barcelona 3-0 up in the second-half

Samuel Umtiti jumps for joy after putting Barcelona 4-0 up during their clash with Celta Vigo on Saturday night

Lionel Messi finds the bottom corner for the second time in the match to score Barcelona's fifth goal of the night

It should have been two when Rafinha cut in from the right but he failed to beat Alvarez. When he looked up he had Messi, Neymar and Suarez all staring him down having been in space for a pass – an image he might take some time to wipe from his memory.

The second goal was not long in coming. And it was every bit as special as the first. Messi fed Rakitic and he returned the pass. Messi then played an angled pass into Neymar's path and the Brazilian applied the most delicate of touches to chip it over the head of Alvarez and send it curling with one bounce over the line. 

No one does artistic impression better than Neymar and he was at it again 13 minutes into the second half when he set up Rakitic for the third.

The Brazilian crossed from the left, Rafinha got a touch in the area and Rakitic sent a low drive through the goalkeeper's legs.

Luis Suarez watches on in the background as Lionel Messi's effort beats Sergio Alvarez but cannons off the foot of the post

Brazilian star Neymar shoots at goal as Celta Vigo's Seri Gomez attempts to block his path

Celta Vigo's Spanish forward Iago Aspas holds off Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic as he keeps the ball

Barcelona striker Luis Suarez chases after Celta Vigo's Sergi Gomez as he looks to hold onto possession

Barcelona star Lionel Messi takes the ball past Celta Vigo's Nemanja Radoja during a one-sided encounter

Barcelona striker Luis Suarez attempts to block Sergio Alvarez's clearance during the first-half at the Nou Camp

Umtiti was the next on the scoresheet poking the ball home from inside the six-yard box from a Messi cross. It was his first goal for the club and his Barcelona team-mates queued up to congratulate him – of the raft of summer signings he is the one who has made a first team place his own.

Messi got his second with Barcelona's next attack. He carried the ball down the right, cut inside, and despite the best efforts of Facundo Roncaglia and Cabral drilled his shot through the legs of the latter and past Alvarez.

With 20 minutes left Iniesta came on – as if Celta hadn't suffered enough - but the captain did not exert himself. The three points were won and all attention now turns to Wednesday. 

Messi and company are in the mood to either go through with a miraculous comeback, or at least go out of the Champions League making everyone wish they were not.

Former Liverpool flop Iago Aspas attempts to put pressure on Lionel Messi during the opening period

Luis Suarez has his head in his hands after striking the foot of the post as Barcelona searched for the opening goal