A Lionel Messi double against Celtic put Barcelona in to the driving seat for the return leg of their Champions League last-16 tie in a fortnight's time.

After surviving a whirlwind start by the visitors, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink gave the Hoops a 16th-minute lead with a powerful header before Messi levelled two minutes later.

Debutant Barry Robson's looping header just before the end of a pulsating first half gave Celtic an interval lead but, following a mistake by Gary Caldwell seven minutes after the restart, Thierry Henry equalised with a classy finish.

The home side tried valiantly to hang on in the face of a Catalan onslaught but in the 79th minute the Argentina international summoned up another piece of magic inside the Celtic penalty area before curling his shot past Artur Boruc.

The return match on March 4 promises another tough night for the Scottish champions, who will have to win their first ever Champions League game on the road if they are to progress through to the quarter-finals.

On this evidence, it will be a mighty task for Gordon Strachan's men, who suffered their first home defeat in the competition since the last visit of Barcelona in 2004.

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