LIONEL MESSI hit a brace as he returned to the Barcelona lineup to help book their place in the last 16 of the Champions League with a comfortable 2-0 win at Celtic on Wednesday.

    Arsenal is likely to finish in second place in Group A after drawing with Paris Saint-Germain 2-2.

    PSG leads Arsenal thanks to a superior head-to-head record after salvaging a draw at Emirates Stadium courtesy of Alex Iwobi’s own goal in the 77th minute.

    Edinson Cavani converted a cross from Blaise Matuidi to put the French team ahead, but Arsenal fought back via Olivier Giroud’s penalty and an own goal by Marco Verratti.

    Both teams have 11 points but PSG is top, after scoring more away goals in their two meetings. PSG and Arsenal drew 1-1 in Paris in September.

    Messi, who missed Saturday’s goalless draw with Malaga due to illness, provided a fine finish to Neymar’s lofted pass to hand the Spanish champions a 24th-minute lead in Glasgow.

    The Barcelona captain, who grabbed a hat trick in the 7-0 mauling in the reverse fixture at the Camp Nou, then converted a 56th-minute penalty won by Luis Suarez to see his side top Group C with 12 points from five games.

    Manchester City’s draw with Borussia Monchengladbach in the group’s other match also sees the English side through and means Celtic can’t pip the Germans to third spot due to their inferior head-to-head record.

    “It was quite a hard game and we expected Celtic to come out and make it difficult,” said Barcelona manager Luis Enrique.

    “We were good at the back and we got better as the game went on. It was a very difficult group and it’s great to finish first with a game to spare.”

    Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers felt his side had improved significantly from their hammering at the Camp Nou, although their European adventures are over for another year.

    “I was proud of the team tonight. We looked like we played without any fear and we pressed the game well,” Rodgers said.

    “If we take some of our chances then it might have been a different game but we showed a vast improvement, which is important.”

    Apart from the injured Andres Iniesta, Barcelona named their strongest 11 as Suarez and Messi returned from suspension and illness respectively to form their formidable partnership with Neymar in the Barca attack.

    Celtic didn’t allow the visitors time on the ball as they pressed high up the pitch early on.

    However, Barcelona began to probe at the Celtic defense with Mikel Lustig looking particularly vulnerable to the runs of Jordi Alba and Neymar.

    (SD-Agencies)