Brendan Rodgers last night insisted there was no embarrassment for Celtic following a 7-0 Champions League rout in Barcelona.

The heaviest European defeat in the club's history, Scotland's champions were put to the sword by the Holy Trinity of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.

Argentine magician Messi opened the scoring in three minutes, helping himself to a hat-trick. Neymar scored one and teed up four, while a late Suarez double and a sizzling Andres Iniesta volley completed the scoring.

Scroll down for video

Brendan Rodgers consoles his Celtic players are their 7-0 defeat to Barcelona

The Catalan club ran riot at the Nou Camp on the opening night of the Champions League

Luis Suarez was on target twice for Barca to inflict a heavy defeat on their Glasgow guests

A weekend hat-trick hero against Rangers Rodgers identified Moussa Dembele's saved 24th minute penalty at 1-0 as a critical moment for the Scottish champions.

Claiming Barcelona can inflict similar pain on better teams than Celtic, however, Rodgers insists his team will learn from a humbling experience before hosting Manchester City in a fortnight.

'Professionally it is never nice when that happens,' said Rodgers. 'I thought in the first period of the game our set up and organisation was good.

'We gave away a goal very early, which is not what you want to do here. But we came back into the game and when we started to get some belief and confidence, we began to pass the ball and create opportunities.

'There is a massive moment in the first half. If you get the penalty and get to 1-1, you can make the crowd a bit nervous after their weekend loss. We lost the second goal very quickly after that, which was disappointing.

Rodgers looks concerned on the touchline during his team's defeat in Spain

Celtic players applaud the crowd as they leave the pitch after the final whistle

'We knew the next goal after half-time was going to be very important. They got the third goal then the combination of tiredness, freshness and quality showed.

'This is a competition which is going to be a brilliant learning season for us. Tonight is one of those nights you have to take.

'There can be no embarrassment because they have done it to better teams than ourselves.

'It doesn't matter that they are the team they are. It's tough to take when you lose so many goals. The players couldn't have come to a more difficult place after playing such an intense game at the weekend.

'There was hardly any preparation to face a team who beat you up with the ball at times.

'The last 15 minutes felt quite long. The young players will learn from it.

'Barcelona have done it to much better teams than us. But at the end of the game you are frustrated and disappointed.'

Scott Sinclair and skipper Scott Brown were Celtic's best performers on a draining, demoralising night comparable to a 6-1 defeat in the Nou Camp three years ago.

Rodgers greets Suarez, who played under the former Liverpool manager at Anfield

Suarez hugs Lionel Messi, who netted the 40th hat-trick of his career on the night

Weekend hero Dembele won the spot kick which followed Messi's opener in three minutes, Barca keeper Marc Andre Ter Stegan guessing right and saving to his right.

'Credit the goalkeeper,' said Rodgers. 'Moussa is happy to accept the responsibility and the keeper read it. He made a good save and you could see that was a moment in the game which needed to go our way, to give them something to think about. It was a big turning point.

'When you are on the other end of it, it's not so nice.

'But you can't be too downhearted. There is a professional pride. Whether you are playing Barcelona or Berwick Rangers, there is professional pride to play for.

'No team likes to lose like that.

The Nou Camp scoreboard shows the full extent of a chastening defeat for the Bhoys

Rodgers congratulates Neymar after the game - the Brazilian scored for Barca

'But this won't hamper us in any way. We will always take positives from it. It' s still very early for us working together. We will recover, rest tomorrow and see what areas we can improve.'

Denying his players were 'spooked' by playing the Holy Trinity of Messi, Neymar and Suarez in one of world football's cathedrals Rodgers insisted: 'They came into it with confidence. Scott Brown was outstanding, Scott Sinclair was always a threat. Those two carried the can for us.

'The home games are always going to be important for us. Away from home, it's been difficult for Celtic over many years. The advantage we have is our supporters who genuinely create that extra man for us and put an intensity into the game.

'In the home games, we need to press and look to do well. But tonight, the better and top class team won.'