Midfielder Iniesta says hat-trick man Lionel is unique after Barcelona romp to 7-0 win over Celtic in Champions League opener at Camp No
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi celebrates a goal with teammate Neymar during the Champions League match against Celtic at Camp Nou in Barcelona on Tuesday. Pic/AFP
Barcelona: Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta hailed 'unique' Lionel Messi, after the Argentine scored his 36th hat-trick of his Barca career and a record sixth in Europe as the Spanish champions hammered Celtic 7-0 in their opening Champions League clash here on Tuesday.
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Luis Enrique's men were stunned 2-1 by newly-promoted Alaves at the Nou Camp in La Liga on Saturday, but made amends by recording their biggest European victory.
"We came off a defeat that hurt us a lot for the way in which it came about.
Andres Iniesta
"But there is always an opportunity to quickly change that image, those sensations in the next games and today the team did that from the first minute," said Iniesta.
"We very efficient and created a lot of chances.
"It is difficult to say anything about Messi which hasn't been said," added Iniesta. "In every game he surprises you with new things. There is only one Leo, he is unique."
Aside from Messi, Neymar and Iniesta were also on the scoresheet with fine second-half strikes before Luis Suarez wrapped things with two more goals late on.
It might have been a different story had Moussa Dembele — hat-trick hero in Celtic's 5-1 derby mauling of Rangers at the weekend — not seen his 24th-minute penalty saved by Marc-Andre ter Stegen when it was 1-0, but the Scottish champions were convincingly beaten in the end .
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