Lionel Messi broke Celtic hearts as he and Barcelona delivered a football masterclass ending with the gifted Argentinian’s goal 11 minutes from time on a remarkable evening.

Celtic had twice taken the lead, through Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Barry Robson, but first Messi and then Thierry Henry dragged the Scottish champions back in the first leg of this last-16 tie. Barcelona refused to settle for a draw and, on a ground where no visiting side had won in 11 Champions League ties, Messi profited from the invention of Samuel Eto’o and collected his second goal with a curling left-foot shot beyond Artur Boruc.

When Celtic last lost on Champions League business in the East End of Glasgow, in September 2004, the opponents, again, were Barcelona. Gordon Strachan, the Celtic manager, now has to rebuild his team’s confidence for the return leg in the Nou Camp on March 4, although he will know that Celtic have obtained draws in their past two matches there.

Only Aiden McGeady of the home squad was involved on Barcelona’s previous visit. Then, he was a teenage substitute; now he is the icon of Strachan’s side. The pace was frenetic. Barcelona pressed fiercely in the opening five minutes, Paul Hartley and Lee Naylor forced into an overcomplicated exchange of passes that allowed Henry to pounce and deliver a cut-back for Andrés Iniesta, whose fearsome shot was beaten away by Boruc for a corner.

Deco’s delivery picked out Henry lurking at the back of the box and the former Arsenal forward showed impeccable control before unleashing a shot that was kept out by Paul Caddis on the line.

The suffocating spell of pressure was broken in remarkable fashion when Celtic moved the ball down the left wing. McGeady’s pace took him beyond Carles Puyol and Scott McDonald knocked the ball back for Naylor to whip in a cross for Vennegoor of Hesselink. He got between Gabriel Milito and Rafael Márquez to plant a diving header beyond Víctor Valdés.

The home fans’ celebrations lasted only two minutes, Messi equalising with the sort of darting run down the right flank that has become his trademark. The Argentina player played a one-two with Deco but was tracked by Naylor, only for the Celtic left back’s slide to knock the ball against Messi’s leg to loop it over Boruc.

Barcelona sensed that their hosts were stunned and Ronaldinho went close with a 30-yard free kick while Celtic looked to release their own potent weapon, McGeady. They did so seven minutes before half-time, when McGeady skipped down the left again, but cut back inside and used his right foot to deliver a teasing cross. Robson ghosted in to arc a header over the back-tracking Valdés.

McGeady might have increased the lead before the interval, but his fierce shot flew over the bar, and Celtic left the pitch to the sort of ovation that could be heard back on Las Ramblas.

Barcelona’s pride appeared to be hurt. They began the second half at pace, with crisp passing that was mesmerising for the home crowd, never mind Strachan’s players. Celtic were working feverishly to close down the space but were chasing shadows. Messi swapped passes with Yaya Touré and sent a shot wide, then Stephen McManus sent a header back to Boruc with insufficient pace and Henry intercepted, forcing Gary Caldwell to clear.

However, Caldwell gifted Henry a goal in the next attack as Barcelona restored parity in the 52nd minute. The Celtic centre back sent a pass straight to the feet of the France forward and Henry advanced towards the box before curling a sublime right-foot finish high beyond Boruc.

Celtic were on the ropes. Robson managed to snuff out another run from Messi but Strachan sought to change the pattern of play and brought on Georgios Samaras, for Vennegoor of Hesselink, Massimo Donati, for Hartley, and Mark Wilson, for Caddis. Donati conjured up a low shot that drew a fine save from Valdés as Celtic tried to build up the pressure, but it would be their conquerors of 2004, and Messi in particular, who would produce the breakthrough.