Neymar scores hat-trick as Barcelona crush Celtic 6-1 in Champions League
Neymar scores hat-trick as Barcelona crush Celtic 6-1 in Champions League
Neymar has bagged a hat-trick as Barcelona crushed Celtic to seal top spot in Champions League Group H.

Spain: Neymar scored a Champions League hat-trick in a 6-1 rout of Celtic on Wednesday to help Barcelona forget about Lionel Messi - for one night at least.

Gerard Pique, Pedro Rodriguez, and Cristian Tello also scored for Group H winners Barcelona, while Giorgos Samara added a late consolation goal for Celtic, who finished last in the group.

With Messi sidelined by a hamstring injury, Neymar was finally able to take command of a Barcelona attack which has passed through the boots of the Argentina forward for so many years.

On Wednesday at the Camp Nou, it was Neymar's feet which did the talking as he finally scored in Europe's elite competition.

After Pique's seventh-minute opener got the Spanish champions going, Neymar used some masterful dribbling to throw off defender Efe Ambrose with his change of rhythm before cutting a pass back into the box for Pedro to direct home in the 40th.

The Brazil forward was able to tap home his first goal since Nov. 10 four minutes later after Alexis Sanchez lifted a ball over Celtic's defense to meet Marc Montoya's run, and the Spanish fullback slid it back for an easy goal.

Neymar showed no problems handling Barcelona's slick combination capabilities as he backheeled to Xavi Hernandez who returned on to his run through the defense, and Neymar sent a rising shot into the corner as he slipped to the ground in the 48th.

Ambrose was caught out again in the 58th. Neymar's stepover created space before he used his other foot to slide the ball through the big defender's legs, get into the box and then beat goalkeeper Fraser Forster.

Neymar nearly had a fourth in the 65th as he beat the offside trap to go in alone on Forster, only to dabble too long looking for a shot and his run collided with Pedro, who took a shot that was saved.

Forster could only watch as Tello, who returned from injury to replace Sanchez, tried a shot that deflected high and into goal in the 72nd minute.

Barcelona, who rested Andres Iniesta, rebounded from a 2-1 loss to Ajax to finish top of the standings with 13 points. AC Milan also advanced after drawing 0-0 against Ajax to finish second.

In other match, Atletico Madrid denied FC Porto a chance to reach the last 16 of the Champions League with a 2-0 victory to close out Group G.

Raul Garcia turned to score a tight-angled volley in the 14th minute before Diego Costa scored his 19th goal of the season in the 37th for unbeaten Atletico to finish top of the standings with 16 points. Porto hit the woodwork several times and will rue a 28th-minute missed penalty by Josue.

Porto, a two-time European champion, finished third behind Zenit St. Petersburg and will now play in the Europa League. Atletico can take a measure of satisfaction from the win after Porto dumped them into the Europa League during the 2009/10 season on the last matchday.

Porto took the game to the hosts at the Vicente Calderon Stadium, with Jackson Martinez the focal point of the attack while Manchester United manager David Moyes watched on from the stands.

Danilo's eight-minute cross into the box found Martinez's foot but the Colombia striker guided it high off the crossbar.

Garcia scored against the run of play with a daring half-volley as he touched the ball inside toward the goal line before swiveling to fire a shot past goalkeeper Helton into the near corner with almost no angle.

Silvestre Varela then headed off the crossbar before Martinez was brought down by Aranzubia to set up the penalty, which was saved by the backup goalie who was filling in for injured regular Thibaut Courtois.

Martinez sent Varela's short pass off the outside of the post just before Atletico struck for the second against the run of play.

Oliver Torres sprung Costa with a long pass that the Atletico striker headed down past Helton, and he curled in from angle to keep adding to his goalscoring tally.

The Portuguese champions hit the post for the last time in the 69th as Lima beat the offside trap but saw his quick shot come off the near post.

Porto would have advanced to the last 16 with a victory since Zenit lost 4-1 at previously winless Austria Vienna.

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