Preview: Neymar needs to step up in Messi's absence
It was not too long ago that Barcelona left Parkhead with a defeat, which led to tears pouring down the face of Rod Stewart. On Tuesday night, the Scottish Champions will be looking to steal points against the Catalans once again.
Going up against Barcelona without Messi in the squad is a relief for Neil Lennon's side, but the Celtic manager does not want to focus on that too much.
"Messi's absence is obviously good news for us," Lennon told UEFA's official website. "For me, he's the best player in the world. There's sadness too because it's always fantastic to see the greatest here in Glasgow."
Without the Argentine forward, new signing Neymar will be the center of attention, as he will take part in only his second Champions League match. His first went well, as Barcelona brushed Ajax aside, with three goals from Messi, and one from Pique.
"Comparing Neymar with Messi is like comparing a dog with a cat," Lennon added. "They're two different players all together. Neymar's wonderfully gifted, predominantly playing on the left-hand side. He's got goals in him. He's quick, he's only young, he's got a fantastic future. But it's too early to make a comparison with Messi."
Wanting to compare them or not is a personal choice, but the truth is that Neymar will have to be just one of the players to step up on Tuesday.
The last time these two sides met, things did not end well for the Spanish giants. Goals from Victor Wanyama and Tony Watt gave the Scottish outfit a historic victory. And although Barcelona had 25 shots in that match, to Celtic's five, the hosts will be able to learn something from it all.
Defeating Barcelona is not impossible, although some football fans may have thought that just a year or two ago. It takes a lot of effort and belief, but the Catalans are not invincible. Neil Lennon will be sure to send along that message to his players in the dressing room, and knowing that Messi is out, they will be able to focus on shutting down Neymar.
In Messi's absence, Gerardo Martino will likely not change his approach to the match. The new Barcelona manager has made it clear that he wants to rest Messi as much as possible, and although some fans may disagree with that, the Argentine talisman's injury against Almeria will only prove that he needs some rest at times.
"It isn't easy to replace the best player in the world, but we have a great squad," Martino told reporters. "If we don't have a good night and lose, we won't use his absence as an excuse. I don't see Messi's absence being a problem for the other players."
If anything, Messi's absence should give the rest of the team a boost in confidence. Being able to step up in his absence will only prove that the Blaugrana are not only Messi plus 10 others.
Along with Messi, Martino will also be without Jordi Alba, Javier Mascherano and Carles Puyol.
Putting all these injuries aside, Celtic is not the same squad as they were when they last took on Barcelona. The departures of Gary Hooper and Victory Wanyama will have had an effect on the squad, but they will still be competitive on Tuesday night.
As the Blaugrana seek revenge for that historic defeat, Neil Lennon will be hopeful that his players can make Tuesday another historic night in Celtic's illustrious history.
Where to watch the match - live stream, start time, TV channels, live scores
Watch Celtic vs Barcelona live on Tuesday, October 1, 2013:
In Canada at 14:45 ET on: TVA Sports, Sportsnet Ontario / East / West / Pacific, Sportsnet World Online
In the UK at 19:45 BST on: ITV Streaming, BBC Radio 5 Live, UTV, ITV 1
In the USA at 14:45 ET on: Fox Sports 1, SiriusXM FC, Fox Deportes, Fox Soccer 2Go
If you are in Scotland, you can follow the action on STV. For viewers outside of these countries, please visit the Celtic vs Barcelona match page for full TV listings in your area.
